Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc V: Dimensions of Chaos
by Pendulum Professor
Summary: A new twist on an old classic. Yuya wishes to become a great Entertainment Duelist, but in the middle of it, finds himself in the middle something far greater than he could have ever imagined. Follow his journey into the Dimensions of Chaos.
1. The Fun Has Just Begun

Author's Note: Ladies and gentlemen! Ahem. Now that the introduction is out of the way, I would like to formally welcome you to this story – Dimensions of Chaos – and I hope you enjoy your stay.

Before I start, I'm sure you're probably wondering what this story is about. Simply put, it's a new spin on an old classic. While this follows some of the same points in the storyline of the canon, there will naturally be some new twists and deviations – this _is_ Fanfiction, after all! – many of which you'll start to see even in this chapter.

A few of the more technical things: Firstly, the duels in this story will be following the current-most Ban list, and will likely stay rigid throughout the entirety of the story. (Not that I anticipate using Forbidden/Limited/Semi-Limited cards in here.)

Secondly, given the finite amount of cards in certain archetypes/decks, there will be custom-created cards in this story, those created by me or other writers. I mean, imagine writing a full duel with the three cards Futoshi has now. Tough, right?

Thirdly – and this is more of a nitpick – I will be sticking to the Japanese archetype name of Yuya's deck: Entermates. More of a personal preference thing, but most, if not all of the other decks, will be using the TCG name. We'll see on this one.

And last but not least, this story is intended to start at the beginning of Arc-V, pre-Pendulum. As such, Yuya's current Pendulum Monsters will be treated as regular Effect Monsters, until the transformation to Pendulum Cards. Yes, even you, Odd-Eyes.

One last thing: Depending on the type of duel, the Life Points will vary. Exhibition Duels (like Yuya's and Yuzu's from the second episode) will be performed on the basis of 4000 Life Points, whereas all other duels – or at least ninety-nine percent of them – will be played at the standard 8000. I find that it makes more sense, considering the function of each type of duel.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Arc-V (or any of the other series for that matter). But a guy can dream.

I'm rambling now, and you're all probably getting antsy. So, let's get onto it. Without further do, I present to you Dimensions of Chaos.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Chapter 1: The Fun Has Just Begun**

 **0-0-0-0-0**

The lights of the indoor stadium dimmed, prompting the raucous crowd members to change their tones from animated shouts to scattered murmurs to pinched whispers, until, ultimately, the dome became as quiet as a cemetery. The spectators sat in their seats, holding their bated breath in anticipation as they stared into the burgeoning darkness. In the dim light, the lime green arena in the center of the stadium, roughly the size of a primary school gymnasium, donned a more forest green hue.

The entire stadium fell victim to the darkening abyss, causing many to strain their eyes in search of light, in search of something. In spite of the built-in skylight lining the ceiling, the dark storm clouds outside were not particularly helpful aiding them.

From the east came a single spotlight, tinted a sickly yellow. It struck the center of the arena, shedding only enough light to reveal a pattern etched in the field – a perfect circle, horizontally bisected by a white line of paint.

The four stadium speakers, each positioned parallel to each other in the upper four quadrants of the building, resounded together with a fanfare of trumpets, harps, flutes, and gongs. The music was cheesy to most spectators, though some of the younger ones stamped their feet to the beat. The viewers didn't seem to mind, however; by now they knew what the music meant: The show was about to begin.

As if on cue, words rang through the speakers and through ears of each spectator.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and duel enthusiasts of all ages," a disembodied voice called out. It seemed to span across the entire stadium, ricocheting everywhere. 'Of all ages,' the walls seemed to repeat. "It is my pleasure to welcome you to Maiami City's annual entertainment duel tournament, sponsored exclusively by the very makers of Action Duels, the Leo Corporation."

'The Leo Corporation,' the walls parroted twice.

A low wave of applause started among the west and north wing of the crowd, but died down before it reached the other two sectors. Others celebrated with low cheers, hollers, and the stamping of feet.

The voice went on. "It is also with great pleasure that I, Nico Smiley, proud manager of last year's Duel Champion, Strong Ishijima, will broadcast this event as your Master of Ceremonies today as we seek to crown a new entertainment Duel Champion. Are you ready?"

As the walls repeated Smiley's inquiry, an uproarious response surged through the audience all at once, without any buildup. Cheers, claps, stomps, and whistles tore through the speaker echoes. The air was alive with a palpable energy. Outside, the booming thunder competed to be heard over the voices.

Nico, not waiting for the audience to quiet, continued, "Challengers from far and wide have gathered here to earn this most prestigious and elusive title, and many have come close. But here we are, at the finale, where only two young duelists remain. Only one will be able to claim the championship title. But who will it be?"

Smiley managed to stretch each syllable long enough to where each word sounded like its own sentence. The walls doubled the length as they reverberated in cadence.

"The final duel is about to commence; but before we get to the main event, let's meet the two duelists who braved the competition, weathered every trial, and leapt over every hurdle to get to where they are now!"

More applause, quieter now, surfaced among the onlookers.

Nico cleared his throat. "Though he is already the current CEO of the Leo Corporation, he indulges in dueling during his spare time. At the remarkable age of fifteen, he took the dueling world by storm with his sheer talent and ingenuity by becoming the youngest certified participant in the Duel Circuit. Conquering duelist after duelist without a single loss in this competition, he has effortlessly glided through the preliminaries, straight to the finals. It is with great honor that I am proud to introduce the one, the only, Reiji Akaba!"

Thick clouds of fog and smoke wafted onto the left side of the field, and a silhouette emerged through the haze. The fanfare music replayed through the speakers, louder this time to match the cries from the audience. A hand pushed past the smoke, clearing it until the owner was visible.

There he stood, now graced by the embrace of the spotlight's warmth – the infamous Reiji Akaba. He coolly threw a hand through his gray locks of hair, repositioning a few of the downward pointing spikes. He had a look of indifference about him, accentuated by his blank stare and calm purple eyes, hidden under the rectangular frames of his glasses. Attached to his head was a wireless headset that ended with a small microphone.

He lifted a hand to address the audience, giving a halfhearted wave to the throngs of cheering people. As the music came to a close and the audience's voices became too hoarse to cheer any further, Reiji lifted his right hand. He tapped two buttons on the headset, one after the other, and began to speak.

"Good afternoon, everyone." Reiji spoke methodically into the microphone, as though he had practiced his speech to the point of boredom. Thunder boomed in the background, and he recommenced, "It's gratifying to see so many dueling fans gathered here today. In all the years that the Leo Corporation has held this event, I believe that this is the largest turnout that we've received thus far."

More cheers came, mostly male. '…Largest turnout that we've received thus far,' the walls and speakers repeated.

A hint of a smile crossed his lips. "We thank you for your continued support, and for your love of Action Duels. It was always our intention to take dueling to a higher plane, to a new and greater level of evolution, and we have achieved just that through you all. You – no, we should be proud."

Sentimental clapping ensued.

"With the formalities out of the way," Reiji said, as whatever fragment of a smile he had vanished, "I hope that you've all prepared yourselves to witness a passionate duel. Watch closely, because I will be taking this duel to an even higher plane. I ask you all to be a part of it with me, as together we make history through this match. Let's duel!"

Every member of the audience, as was customary, shouted back, "Let's duel!"

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Nico sniffled without missing a beat. It sounded as though he had been crying, perhaps overly moved by Reiji's words. "The essence of profundity, straight from the mouth of our very own Reiji Akaba."

He snapped his fingers. "But let's not forget his opponent. Though he had a bumpy start, he has impressed us time and again with his come-from-behind victories. Against Reiji Akaba, he has his work cut out for him, but making it to the final round certainly proves that he's no dueling slouch. With a love of performance and the strength of his monsters by his side, he should provide quite the show. Please give a warm welcome to the resident dark horse, Yuya Sakaki!"

Smoke poured on the field once again, on the side of the field opposite to Reiji. Coughing was heard as a hand quickly tried to swat the smoke away. The audience clapped – slower and quieter than they had for Reiji, save for one girl.

"Don't you even think about losing in front of me, Yuya!" she shouted from the north wing of the audience, cupping her hands in front of her mouth. Her elegantly-parted cherry hair bounced as she winked a big blue eye. "I'll be watching!"

The vapor cleared to reveal the coughing young boy, beating on his chest to remove the excess smoke from his lungs. Considerably shorter in comparison to Reiji, he sported the same microphone headset.

Anyone could see it as the light enveloped his body – it was clear to see by his ensemble – why, he had chosen entertainment duels out of all the possible categories. A choker fashioned as a belt buckle wrapped around his neck, goggles strapped to his head, a bracelet constricting his right wrist, and a blue crystal pendant around his neck were among his many accessories. Compared to that, his red-green combination hair seemed commonplace, even with the single spike on top. His plain red tee-shirt and green cargo pants seemed to compliment his coiffure.

"Don't worry about a thing, Yuzu!" he shouted back to the girl. He turned in her direction, offering a thumbs-up gesture. "Leave everything to me!"

"Right," she nodded, returning his smile. "Good luck."

Yuya nodded too, then turned to Reiji. He could feel his heartbeat pounding in his ears. He reached down and clutched his pendant to reassure himself.

"How about it, Yuya?" Nico asked. The microphone, too close to his mouth, sent shockwaves of feedback through the speakers, causing many of the fans to cover their ears as their announcer scrambled to apologize. When he regained his composure, he continued, "Are there any words that you'd like to tell the audience?"

"Umm…" Yuya fidgeted with his headset, desperately struggling to affix the mouthpiece over his own mouth. He gave a nervous chuckle as he finally completed the task, after seventeen seconds – a number recorded by most of the audience members, who had been counting in their heads.

With an "Ahem" clear of his throat, Yuya began, "Ladies and gentlemen! My name is Yuya Sakaki!" He moved his body around in a circle to face every part of the audience.

"They already know that," Yuzu muttered in her seat, speaking into the hand that was now pressed against her face in secondhand embarrassment.

"Please keep your eyes peeled. Today I intend to show you what a classic Action Duel is supposed to like. Everyone, let's make a fun duel!"

Nico applauded, prompting the audience to follow his lead, albeit to a lesser degree than they had for Reiji.

"I can't believe this," Yuya said, clutching his pendant to his chest. His breathing started to accelerate. "I'm really going to duel Reiji Akaba. I just can't believe it! This feeling is incredible."

"Hmm?" Reiji pushed his glasses up closer to his face, scrutinizing Yuya as if he were inhuman. After a while, he finally said, "You're my opponent?"

"Eh?" Given the tone of the question, Yuya wasn't sure whether he should have been offended or flattered.

"I expected more from someone who managed to make it this far in the tournament." Reiji's head tilted up and down as he sized Yuya up.

 _Offended_ , Yuya decided in his head.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he huffed, his eyebrows drawing closer to his eyes. "You're still young yourself, right?"

"I suppose." Reiji shrugged. "But there's a difference between you and I."

"And what's that?"

"Our skill levels. Even if you managed to scrape and claw to get here, you won't be able to win against me."

"You sure seem confident in yourself."

Reiji shrugged again. "I have no reason not to be."

"Well, now," Yuya continued, "if you think you're going to have such an easy time defeating me, why don't we put it up to the test?"

Reiji pushed his glasses up again. "That's what we're here for, isn't it?"

"Oh my!" Nico's voice boomed through the speakers. "Now that the introductions are finished, it appears that we're finally coming to the main event. Duelists, ready your Duel Disks and decks!"

Yuya and Reiji looked at one another, the former with a gaze of passion and the latter with one of indifference. Yuya hooked a boxy red device to his arm that looked like a rectangular pad. Reiji mirrored the movement with his white Duel Disk. Both of the disks read "Standby" before a boomerang shape shot forward, revealing the Monster and Spell/Trap Zones.

"Action Field, on!" Nico said, snapping his fingers again. A hologram projection machine at the top of the stadium poured pockets of light onto the stadium floor. "Field Magic! Coy Pond Temple!"

All at once, the stadium faded. Sprinkles of glowing light brought a new battlefield. The stadium floor transformed entirely into ponds of water, which reached Yuya's knees. Giant Lily pads appeared every so often, like stepping stones. A light breeze pushed them from side to side, making ripples in the otherwise still water. Behind Reiji stood a large stone temple with fifty marble steps leading to its portico.

Yuya felt a chill as the water soaked his pants, but ignored it. If Reiji had responded to the water, he hadn't shown it through his facial expression or body gestures.

"Say it with me!" Nico shouted, and he and the audience chanted:

"Duelists locked in battle! Kicking against the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters! They storm through this Field! Behold! This is the newest and greatest evolution of Dueling! Action…"

The two duelists readied themselves as they picked up five cards apiece from the deck holsters in their disks.

"Duel!" they shouted together.

With a final snap of Nico's fingers, a sphere of golden energy burst above the heads of both duelists. Hundreds of glowing rectangular objects – Action Cards – rained down, scattering across the playing field.

 **(Yuya Sakaki: 8000 LP/Reiji Akaba: 8000 LP)**

"The first move belongs to challenger Yuya Sakaki," Nico declared. "The player who goes "first cannot draw a card," he reminded the audience.

"Perfect," Yuya smirked. He looked back to Reiji, saying, "I'll show you not to underestimate me. My turn!"

Yuya looked down at the five cards in his hand, his eyes fixing on one in particular. _Entermate Discover Hippo,_ he thought to himself, reading the card's name. _Hold on, partner. Here we go._

"In the meantime, I'll kick things off with a bang," Yuya proclaimed. "I'll begin the show with a classic. I Normal Summon Entermate Discover Hippo in Attack Position!"

A high-pitched squeal reverberated through the speakers. The creature producing the noise was a pink hippo dressed in a fuchsia tuxedo that cut off just before its stomach. Orange and yellow polka dots adorned the bowtie around its neck. Standing on its hind legs, the circus animal struck a pose, removing its black top hat and flashing a smile that revealed all four of its teeth. The water underneath Discover Hippo's feet sloshed as it landed. (800 ATK)

As Discover Hippo lowered its stance, Yuya leapt into the air. The hippo, arching its back, waited until Yuya fell on top of it to completely return its four hind legs into the pond water.

With a not-so-sturdy grip of his left hand on Discover Hippo's neck, Yuya nodded his head as if agreeing with an unspoken comment. "All right, it's good like this."

He looked to Reiji, aiming a finger at the young professional.

"The player who takes the first turn cannot attack. As such, I'll end my turn here."

As if instinctively understanding the meaning of Yuya's words, Discover Hippo took off, running forward and pushing the warm air against Yuya's flowing hair.

"Catch me if you can!" he yelled as he shot past Reiji.

"That shouldn't be too difficult," the scarf-wearing duelist retorted. "It's my turn. Draw."

Reiji drew his card, as Yuya leapt from Lily pad to Lily pad on his monster. The grey-haired teenager turned to face his opponent.

"Now prepare yourself, Sakaki Yuya..."

 _Yuya…Yuya…Yuya!_

 **0-0-0-0-0**

"Yuya!"

This time the cry was accompanied by another sound: the slap of a paper fan hitting hair. The pink-haired girl who had just struck Yuya quickly folded the fan and placed it inside her pocket, folding her hands on her desk.

Yuya was instantly stirred from his dream. He clumsily rose from his wooden chair, his feet wobbling and stumbling, as his schoolbooks dropped to the gray tile below. Dazed and confused in his half stupor, and still holding the back of his stinging head with one hand, Yuya blurted out the only thing that he could think of, the very same thing he was going to say in his dream:

"Everyone, the fun has just begun!"

The exclamation prompted a myriad of reactions, which ranged from laughter and snickers to eye rolls to one stony glare, from the teacher, and finally to Yuzu smacking her forehead with the palm of her hand, in much the same way as she had in Yuya's dream.

"Yuya…" Yuzu huffed into her hand.

"Yuya Sakaki," said the boy's teacher, pushing glasses up the bridge of his nose. He took a step forward, remaining stoic as his shoe scuffed against the floor. "Sleeping in class again?"

A bead of sweat traveled down Yuya's face. "Well, you see, the thing about that is…"

Yuya instinctively took a step back as he saw his teacher's frown deepen, causing unsightly wrinkles to mar his otherwise smooth face.

"Is?" he said, repeating the word with a clear lack of patience.

Yuya closed his eyes and gave a sheepish smile, which was immediately accompanied by nervous laughter.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

"Jeez," Yuya huffed as he walked out the entrance of Maiami Second Middle School, Yuzu at his side. The sun seemed to beat down on the entire city, and Yuya held a hand over his eyes to shield them from the piercing rays. He and Yuzu navigated through the throngs of students, as they always did after school was finished. The boy threw his arms back, resting his hands on the nape of his neck, and added, "You have to admit, giving me detention like that was pretty harsh."

"You weren't exactly undeserving of it, Yuya," reminded Yuzu. "You did fall asleep in class… _again_."

"It couldn't be helped," Yuya said, his shoulders lifting in a nonchalant motion. "He was lecturing on the basics. And besides, it was a dream about dueling. I thought that qualified as a good enough excuse."

"The teacher certainly didn't think so," Yuzu huffed. She had grown quite accustomed to the consistent dueling reveries of her best friend, so much so that she wasn't even fazed by the notion. "Who was it this time?"

"Reiji Akaba," Yuya replied. "I guess I should have known it was a dream – he was acting totally weird. But I had a good feeling about it, too. Like I could have won."

The two walked through the pillared entrance of their normal school. Instantly, in a motion that was almost robotic in nature, they turned to the left and walked, in the direction of You Show Duel School.

"No offense, Yuya, but Reiji Akaba is a major league, professional duelist. I'm not sure it'd be that close."

Yuya just chuckled and nudged his friend a little in the arm. "C'mon, Yuzu, that's not how you were in the dream."

A faint splash of pink painted Yuzu's cheeks. "I was in your dream?" she stammered.

"Sure," Yuya said with another shrug. "Every show needs a faithful cheerleader, right?"

The pink blush that had come across Yuzu was instantly replaced by a fiery red. Before Yuya could react, Yuzu reached behind her back, extracted her paper fan, and gave the back of Yuya's head, as well as his hands, a violent smack.

"A 'cheerleader?' Is that what I am to you?" she cried, shaking her fists as Yuya, who was repeating his mantra of "Ow, ow, ow!"

"Y-Yuzu," Yuya called out to the girl, now stomping in front of him. "Come on, I didn't mean it like that!"

Yuzu only grumbled under her breath as she made her way to You Show, Yuya behind her, keeping a considerable distance. The two remained quiet from then as they walked down the cement sidewalks, only hearing the noise from one another's footsteps.

Yuzu stopped at the corner of the sidewalk, allowing Yuya to catch up to her as cars sped past in front of the two. Birds chirped and flitted above in the hot afternoon sky. Yuya panted and tried to regain his breath. He wiped his brow with the sleeve of his shirt, instantly drenching the fabric in sweat. Now that he had time to stop and think, he had only just realized how quickly Yuzu had been walking.

As she waited for the walk sign on the pedestrian signal appear, Yuzu shifted her body to the left. In the distance, amidst the sea of billboards and the ocean of glowing neon signs, she could make out what one of the most prominent buildings in the city, and what was _the_ most prominent building in terms of schooling: the Leo Duel School.

It was almost impossible for anyone in the city to miss it, regardless of their location. The building was shaped like an hourglass and stood a massive fifty stories tall. Near the fortieth floor of the building, on the outside of the structure, were four blue diamonds. Emblazoned in gold only a few yards above them were the initials "LDS," the school's abbreviated moniker.

Unconsciously, Yuzu gave a defeated sigh.

Silently praying that it was all right to talk again, Yuya took the spot near his friend. "Eh? What is it, Yuzu?"

"You know, I heard that the students of the Leo Duel School are able to take specialized courses in dueling mechanics. Classes like Fusion Summons and Synchro Summons. I've even heard that they recently started to integrate Xyz Summoning courses, too."

Yuya followed Yuzu's gaze to the massive edifice. Unknowing of what to say, he waited for Yuzu to continue, and she did.

"I don't know," she said. She rubbed her left arm sheepishly. "It's just…sometimes I wonder what it would be like to go to an actual duel school."

"What are you talking about, Yuzu?" Yuya smirked with a flick of his hand. "You Show Duel School is the best! What do we need that other stuff for?"

"We wouldn't be there if my father wasn't the principal," Yuzu retorted matter-of-factly, primarily because the statement was true. When You Show Duel School had been founded, long before the Leo Corporation had franchised, she'd had no choice in the matter of which to attend. Even after the influx of bigger – and better – schools, her father had bound her to You Show.

Yuzu shrugged, shaking off her memories. "I don't know. Maybe we could have been LDS students instead."

Yuya's reply was instant: "Not a chance."

Yuzu turned in his direction, a little surprised by the disagreement. It was no surprise that You Show paled in comparison to Leo Duel School. To hear Yuya defending it so readily, even knowing this, was a response she hadn't assumed.

"It's true that the courses and technologies that Leo Duel School has are nice and fancy, but it doesn't have the heart of You Show," he said, beating a fist on his chest. "And it certainly doesn't have our spirit. That's something that money will never be able to buy."

Yuzu's eyes moved toward the ground as she mulled over the words in her head.

Yuya smiled. "Think of it this way. Would you rather be rich or would you rather have everyone smile?"

"Uhh…" Yuzu began.

Yuya shook his hand quickly to retract the statement. "Wait, wait…Maybe that was a bad simile."

"It was an analogy," corrected Yuzu.

" _The thing is_ ," huffed a flustered Yuya, raising his voice in an attempt to erase his error, "You Show has a passion that LDS will never have, and you can't put a price on that. Your dad's worked his hardest to maintain the school and make it work, and I think we owe it to him to show how awesome he's done by supporting our school and everyone in it. Don't you think?"

Yuzu looked up, into Yuya's warm, compassionate eyes. "I guess you're right," she smiled.

Yuya nodded his head, basking in the words. It was a rare event to hear them from Yuzu.

As the streetlight turned colors, so did the pedestrian signal. Yuya marched forward, throwing his hands back again and staring upward at the cloudless sea of blue.

Yuzu followed, taking one more look westward, at Leo Duel School. She gasped as she saw something – or rather, someone – that hadn't been there before.

Though it was but a blip in the distance, there was a clear figure standing on the edge of the building's roof. Dressed in almost all black, the figure stood on the ledge as their clothes fluttered in the day's slight breeze. A shock of hair was barely visible, and Yuzu questioned if it even was hair. She thought she saw purple.

She turned back to her friend and called out, "Hey, Yuya!"

The boy instantly stopped, already on the other side of the street, and turned to her.

"Did you just see that?" she asked.

"See what?"

"That, right there," she said, pointing to the LDS building. "There's someone on the rooftop ledge of the Leo Duel School."

Yuya turned, squinting and straining his eyes to look for something that wasn't there. After a couple seconds, he stopped.

"I give up," he said. "What am I supposed to be looking for?"

"What do you mean, what am I supposed to be looking for?" Yuzu cried. "That, right…"

She turned, instantly becoming silent. Whoever or whatever had been on top of the building had vanished now. For a split second, she assumed the worst – that the person had voluntarily jumped off the building. She shook her head, slowly rationalizing against that.

 _They probably just went back down the stairs,_ she thought to herself. She figured it was the only way to access the rooftop.

The neon white pedestrian on the crosswalk signal began to flash, indicating that it was going to change soon.

Yuya cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted, "C'mon, Yuzu, or we'll be late!"

Giving the LDS building one final glance, Yuzu nodded, quickly dashing across the street and joining Yuya as they made their way to You Show.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

The walk had taken the two longer than it usually did to complete, so by the time Yuya threw open the doors to You Show and felt a burst of stale air fill his nostrils, he and Yuzu were nearly trampled by the two figures rushing toward them. The two, a boy and a girl, stopped just inches from Yuya and Yuzu, respectively.

Yuya smiled as he looked at the boy standing in front of him, a slightly overweight boy with bright orange overall pants, teal bracelets on each wrist, and a yellow-green sweater covered underneath his suspender straps and tucked into his overalls. Yuya affectionately ruffled the top of the boy's spiked brown hair with a hand, just as his father had done to him when he was younger.

"Big bro Yuya!" the boy called out excitedly. He grinned in a way that accentuated a gap in his upper teeth where a bicuspid should have been.

"How's it going, Futoshi?" Yuya grinned, dropping to one knee to get on eye level with the boy.

To their left stood Yuzu with the redheaded little girl in front of her. The latter managed her hair with a headband that looked more like a finger trap than an accessory. The little girl held her hands up in an excitement that paralleled Futoshi's, revealing her magenta and pink long-sleeved undershirt.

"Good afternoon, Ayu," Yuzu greeted with an inviting smile. "I hope we didn't keep you waiting too long."

The girl – Ayu – shook her. "Not at all, big sis Yuzu. We were waiting with Gongenzaka the whole time, so it was all right."

At the mention of the name, Yuya and Yuzu exchanged a glance, first with each other and then to the figure standing on the opposite side of the foyer. As the person – clearly male – rose from his position, he turned in the direction of the four You Show students. Wooden sandals clicked with each step as the boy in the white trench coat came only a few feet away from Yuya.

"Hey, Gongenzaka," Yuya greeted with a small smile. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Something came up and it couldn't be helped."

"That detention couldn't have been helped?" Yuzu muttered, her eyes sliding to the right to catch a now-flustered Yuya.

" _I_ didn't give me the detention," Yuya replied, stammering through the words. "It was–"

"To think that you would relegate the man, Gongenzaka, successor to Gongenzaka Dojo, to the status of babysitter is unforgivable!" Gongenzaka boomed over Yuya's excuse for an excuse. "And it's unforgivable to make a commitment only to break it!"

Yuya, who had covered his ears partway through Gongenzaka's miniature diatribe, massaged both his eardrums with his index finger, then bowed. With his face to the ground, he said, "Gongenzaka, as my best friend, please accept my apologies. I'll even throw in an IOU."

Gongenzaka's frustration melted at the kindheartedness of his friend. It wasn't often that Yuya apologized for something – not often enough, anyhow. And on top of it all, he was offering a duel, too?

Tears began to well in Gongenzaka's eyes as he furiously tried to stave them off. A man wasn't supposed to cry. "I accept your apology, Yuya," Gongenzaka said, his voice cracking slightly as he slammed his hands on Yuya's shoulders, the customary sign of his forgiveness. "And about that IOU…"

"Say no more," Yuya said, holding a hand in front of Gongenzaka's face. Yuya straightened his back once again, taking note of Gongenzaka retrieving a Duel Disk from behind his back. At the sight, Yuya flashed a bright smile that revealed all thirty-two of his teeth.

After what seemed like a minute of Yuya doing nothing but smiling, which was starting to get awkward not only for Gongenzaka but for the rest of the You Show duelists, Gongenzaka finally broke the silence. "Yuya, what do you think you're doing?"

"Giving you your IOU, of course," Yuya answered matter-of-factly. "That is, I owe you one smile. The debt is repaid now, right?"

Gongenzaka nearly fell over, as if the wind had suddenly been knocked out of him. His eyebrows drew closer together. "Yuya!"

"At any rate," interrupted Futoshi, moving in front of the fallen Gongenzaka, "we're glad you two are here. Principal Shuzo said that there's a prospective new student that could be joining You Show."

Ayu nodded, pointing to Yuya. "And the principal says he needs you and big sis Yuzu, as the star duelists of You Show, to put on an exhibition duel that will convince his mother to let him come here."

"I had forgotten all about that," Yuzu gasped. Then she sighed. "If you hadn't made us late today, Yuya…"

"I told you it couldn't be helped," the boy laughed. "Anyway, we should probably prepare if we're going to put on a good duel." He turned to Gongenzaka. "Thank you again for watching these two for us."

"As your best friend – no, as a man – it would be unforgivable of me to shirk my responsibilities to You Show," Gongenzaka replied. "I was only acting with honor."

"In any case, we appreciate it, Gongenzaka," Yuzu said with a smile. She began to walk onward. "Now, let's get ready," she said over her shoulder to Yuya. "My dad is waiting for us."

"Right," Yuya said, speed walking behind her, with Ayu, Futoshi, and Gongenzaka in tow.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

"Ah, there they are now!" said a man, pointing to Yuzu and Yuya, who had, with Futoshi, Ayu, and Gongenzaka, just entered the spectating room outside the dueling area. He wore an orange track suit and sweatpants, the same color as his hair. The two people who the man, who had introduced himself to them as Shuzo Hiragi, was talking to, a woman and her blue-haired son, turned to look at the You Show crew.

"Sorry we're late, dad," Yuzu apologized, bowing her head. She gave a sharp, critical glance in Yuya's direction.

"No, no," Shuzo said, shaking his head repeatedly. "You're just on time. Isn't that right, Mrs. Yamashiro?"

"I suppose," replied the boy's mother – Mrs. Yamashiro.

Yuzu moved forward, crouching down to meet Mrs. Yamashiro's son eye-to-eye. "Are you the new prospective student?"

"Y-yes," the boy said, a little nervously. "My name is Tatsuya Yamashiro."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Yuzu Hiragi. Welcome to You Show."

After and the rest of the group introduced themselves to Tatsuya, Shuzo looked at Gongenzaka. "Gongenzaka, do you mind working the Action Field generator for this duel?"

Gongenzaka nodded, taking his leave to go upstairs, to the control panel.

"Are you two ready?" Shuzo asked, looking from Yuya to his daughter. Both nodded, and stepped into the dueling room.

"Watch closely," Shuzo told Tatsuya and his mother. "This is the very entertainment duel that our school prides itself on."

Yuya and Yuzu strapped their Duel Disks onto their arms and looked at each other. The word "Standby" appeared on the disk's screen, and their card slots ejected from the devices.

"Just watch," Futoshi said, putting a reassuring hand on Tatsuya's shoulder. He pointed to Yuya through the one-way glass screen with his free hand. "Big bro Yuya's gonna win for sure!"

"Nuh-uh," Ayu contested, placing a hand on Tatsuya's opposite shoulder. "Big sis Yuzu will be the winner!"

Tatsuya looked from Futoshi to Ayu to the older two duelists before him.

"Ready, Gongenzaka!" Yuya shouted.

From the control panel above the dueling field, Gongenzaka sat looking at the numerous Action Fields. Eventually deciding on one that was appropriate for Tatsuya and his mother, he pressed a button.

"Action Field, on!" he shouted, his deep voice seeming to resonate throughout the entire school. "Field Magic! Plain Plane!"

The real-solid Action Field projector on the ceiling spat out portholes of light, magically transforming the field. The ceiling was replaced with endless blue sky. The hard tiled floor became a soft bed of grass that stretched on indefinitely. A few oak trees were littered throughout the otherwise unremarkable plane. The most noteworthy segment of the Action Field was the giant yellow-brick platform in the center of the field, surrounded by a moat of water.

"Whoa," Tatsuya said in a voice so low it made Ayu and Futoshi question if he'd even said it. "So this is an Action Field."

"It gets even better," Futoshi said.

"Watch this," Ayu added, pointing to Yuzu and Yuya.

"Duelists locked in battle!" Yuya began, spinning around.

"Kicking against the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters!" Yuzu continued, following Yuya's lead.

"They storm through this Field!" Yuya added.

"Behold!" Ayu and Futoshi finished. "This is the newest and greatest evolution of Dueling! Action…"

"Duel!" Yuya and Yuzu shouted.

On command, the golden sphere floating above their heads broke, littering the Action Field with Action Cards.

 **(Yuya Sakaki: 4000 LP/Yuzu Hiragi: 4000 LP)**

Yuya smiled. "Let's make a fun duel, Yuzu."

Yuzu nodded, returning the smile.

"I'll be the one to start things," Yuya said. He looked down at the five cards in his hand and added, "The person who goes first doesn't draw," more to himself than to Yuzu. "As such…"

He grabbed a card from the left of his hand.

"I summon Entermate Silver Claw in Attack Position!"

A howl built up and slowly filled the plain, low at first before it covered every inch of the air. Appearing before Yuya was a silver eastern wolf with an orange star tattoo on its left cheek, a polka dot bowtie under its chin, and two piercings on its left ear. It snarled at Yuzu, howling again as the steel chains, which dangled from the dark patch of navy fur on its neck, jangled and clanked. For a moment, it propped itself on its back legs, revealing its dangerously sharp claws – three on each paw. (1800 ATK)

"Let's go, Silver Claw!" Yuya called. Yuya ran forward a couple feet before jumping in the air. With expert precision, he landed on Silver Claw's back, and the monster instinctively dashed forward. Yuya smirked and flashed a peace sign as he raced past Yuzu, her pink hair fluttering in the wolf's breeze.

"The player who goes first isn't able to attack, either," Yuya said. "My turn is over like this. Now come at me, Yuzu!"

Yuzu turned around to face Yuya, who was getting further and further away as he traversed the field.

"Very well. Get ready, Yuya. Here I come!" she shouted, to make sure that he could hear her playful threat. "It's my turn. Draw!"

Yuzu yanked a card from her pink Duel Disk. Wasting no time, she selected another card from her hand.

"I summon Aria the Melodious Diva!"

From somewhere above the plain, the sound of harp strings filled the ether. A holy golden light appeared through the puffy clouds, and from it descended a young girl with pink skin. She had a sole angel wing attached to her back with an orange frame, which extended to her left arm and the top of her purple bobbed hair. She clasped her hands together in prayer, stretching her plum bodysuit, and sang a single C-Sharp note. (1600 ATK)

"Then, while I control a Melodious monster," Yuzu continued, holding another Monster Card up to Yuya, "I can Special Summon this card from my hand. You're up, Sonata the Melodious Diva!"

Illusory eighth notes digitalized in the air as another angel descended from the clouds. Like Aria, this one had one wing hanging from her back, albeit this one green with blue edging. Intertwined with it were locks of sea foam green hair from the left side of her hair. On the right side was a patch of blue that extended to the bottom of her eye, the same color as the girl's sundress. The yellow-skinned female clasped her hands together, too, and hummed an E-Flat. (1200 ATK)

"Shivers!" Futoshi cried from the spectator room outside the door. "Big sister Yuzu summoned two monsters on her first turn!"

"That may be," said Ayu, "but they can't beat brother Yuya's monster."

Tatsuya, overhearing the conversation, turned to the two You Show Students. "Actually, that's not necessarily true."

Ayu and Futoshi both gave him a quizzical look, then looked at each other before turning their attention back to the duel.

Yuya looked behind his back and laughed. "A nice opener, Yuzu, but neither of those monsters is strong enough to defeat my Silver Claw on their own."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Yuya," Yuzu said, wagging a finger. "I activate Sonata the Melodious Diva's monster effect."

Sonata held out her right hand, and as Aria took it, they began to ascend. Instantly they sang together, harmonizing perfectly with one another. A blue aura the color of Sonata's dress washed over both of the angels.

"When Sonata is on the field after being Special Summoned, all Fairy-Type monsters automatically gain 500 ATK and DEF!"

Aria and Sonata released their hands, but their auras still remained. (1600 – 2100 ATK and 1200 – 1700 ATK, respectively)

"So that's what you meant!" Ayu said to Tatsuya, hitting her left palm with her fist. "Big sis Yuzu still had the effect of her monster."

"That's right," Tatsuya confirmed with a smirk and a nod. "Like this, she can now overpower his monster."

"Not good," Yuya muttered. His eyes began to scan the field for any signs of Action Cards.

"Prepare yourself, Yuya," commanded Yuzu. She threw a hand forward in Yuya's direction. "Battle! I attack Entermate Silver Claw with Aria the Melodious Diva. Sharpness Voice!"

Aria flew higher into the air and opened her mouth. With an inaudible exhale, she began to sing. Her tone became alive as pink musical notes began to cluster. Without warning, the notes combined together to create a sharp burst of air that was launched at Yuya and his monster.

As Silver Claw raced through the barren grassland, Yuya took a quick glance over his shoulder just in time to see the blast coming for him. Turning forward again, he noticed something out of the corner of his left eye: A brown rectangular piece of paper with a monogramed "A" on the center, sitting right there in the shrubbery.

 _Action Card!_

Sliding to Silver Claw's side, Yuya angled himself to the left. His body dropped down as he desperately clung to the monster's mane of neck fur. _Almost there,_ he thought as he strained against the aches of his body to reach the Action Card. He felt the paper graze his fingers.

Then, an involuntary scream tore itself from Yuya's lungs as Silver Claw exploded underneath him. He felt as if time was moving in slow motion as he saw the Action Card moving further and further away from him. He hadn't reached it in time; Aria's attack had been successful.

 **(Yuya: 3700 LP/Yuzu: 4000)**

Yuya unceremoniously landed "thud." He lay supine on the artificial grass, groaning and nursing his sore back. Quickly he rose to his feet, knowing that the next attack would be coming any minute. His gaze drifted back to where the Action Card had been.

On command, Yuzu shouted, "Now it's your turn, Sonata. Give Yuya a direct attack!"

Sonata cupped her hands to her mouth. Like Aria, all she had to do was croon a one-note melody and an airy barrage spiraled toward Yuya. A high-pitched noise traveled with the attack as it honed in on the young duelist.

Yuya wanted nothing more than to cover his ears as the shrill sound assaulted his eardrums, but he had to focus on the matter at hand. He sprinted in the direction of the shrub, his breaths becoming louder than the oncoming attack. He could practically feel the air kiss his neck as his fingers once more touched the Action Card.

"Eh? What happened?" Futoshi asked, squinting to see past the ensuing smoke from the attack. "Did he get the Action Card?"

Ayu and Tatsuya exchanged a look, then diverted their gazes to the dying smolders. Their tension was alleviated as they saw Yuya standing on his two feet. Though his Life Points were lower, somehow the damage had been mitigated.

 **(Yuya: 2850 LP/Yuzu: 4000)**

"Action Magic, Miracle," Yuya huffed, holding the card up for Yuzu to see. "By using this card, I can target one monster. Then, for the remainder of the battle, that monster can't be destroyed and all damage I take from it is halved."

"Huh? But he didn't have a monster," Futoshi said, scratching his head. "How could he use that Action Magic?"

"The targeted monster can be any monster on the field," Tatsuya replied. "That includes the opponent's field. By choosing Sonata as the target of Miracle…"

"I was able to reduce the damage by half," Yuya finished, grinning at his move.

"Not bad yourself," Yuzu said, though her smile had vanished. "I end my turn."

"Back to me," Yuya said. "It's time to step up my entertainment duel. My turn, draw!"

He added a fifth card to his hand.

 _Right now, the monster's on Yuzu's side of the field are Aria, whose ATK is 2100, and Sonata, whose ATK is 1700._

He looked at the three monsters in his hand: Entermate Sword Fish, Entermate Discover Hippo, and his newest draw, Odd-Eyes Dragon.

 _It's true that I don't yet have anything that can stop them, but…_

"I summon Entermate Sword Fish!"

Emerging before Yuya was left was a teal fish with a body in the shape of a sword. A hilt replaced the fish's tailfin, and two sharp gray razor blades were in place of its pectoral and dorsal fins. It wore a glare behind its black and red polka-dotted sunglasses, intensified by its glinting teeth. A third blade, much sharper than the other two, lay on the top of the fish's head in the form of a pompadour hairpiece. (600 ATK)

Yuya grabbed the tailfin hilt in one hand and pointed it at Yuzu's monsters. "I activate Entermate Sword Fish's monster effect. When this guy is Normal Summoned, all monsters you control lose 600 ATK and DEF!"

Before Yuzu's very eyes, Sword Fish multiplied, then multiplied three more times. Soon there were tens of different Sword Fish monsters all lined up next to the original. On Yuya's command, they replicas catapulted themselves at Yuzu's two monsters, lodging themselves into the ground where Yuzu stood. She gawked as Aria and Sonata lost their blue glow. (2100 – 1500 ATK and 1700 – 1100 ATK, respectively)

"However," she said slowly, "Sword Fish still doesn't have enough power to defeat either of my monsters."

Yuya's eyes searched high and low for an Action Card around him, but to no avail. "In that case, I set one card facedown and end my turn."

A facedown card momentarily appeared behind Sword Fish before blending into the Action Field's scenery.

Without missing a beat, Yuzu said, "It's my turn, draw!"

She drew her card, and selected another one.

"I summon another copy of Aria the Melodious Diva. Now, Aria, it's your stage!"

On the opposite side of Sonata, a second Aria appeared. It was an exact carbon copy of the first Aria, except the clothing was a shade darker. (1600 – 2100 ATK)

"By Sonata's effect, my newly summoned Aria gains 500 ATK. Then, I'll have it attack your Entermate Sword Fish. Sharpness Voice!"

Aria's singing inspired the creation of another airy blast, this one aimed at Yuya himself. In response, the boy quickly dropped his monster and clicked a button on his disk.

"My faithful fans," he called out, motioning to the three children behind the one-way mirror, "we're sorry to interrupt the main event, but we have a special attraction for you that I hope you'll enjoy. Now, it's show time! I activate my Quick-Play Spell, Hippo Carnival!"

Cackling laughter erupted as three hippopotamuses dressed like showgirls materialized in front of Yuya. The first was dark green with a purple brassiere and a yellow Miami feathers and a matching tail. The second was goldenrod with a similar blue brassiere and a pink feathers and tail. The third orange hippo had on the same feather and tail combination, but with a floral brassiere. Each one blew a lipstick-stained kiss at Yuzu, much to her revulsion. (0 DEF x 3)

"Hippo Carnival, when activated, Special Summons three Hippo Tokens to my field," Yuya explained. "Moreover, during the turn that this card was activated, the only monsters you're allowed to attack are my Hippo Tokens."

"In that case, I'll change Aria's attack to one of the Hippo Tokens," said Yuzu.

"Before you do," Yuya added, retrieving his monster from the ground, "the secondary effect of Entermate Sword Fish activates. When I Special Summon another monster – or monsters, in this case – Sword Fish reduces the ATK and DEF of all monsters you control by another 600 points!"

Another brigade of Sword Fish monsters bombarded Yuzu's monsters with their assault. Sonata and the old and new Aria duplicates cried out as their power once again plunged. (500 ATK, 900 ATK, and 1500 ATK, respectively)

That did not stop Aria from attacking, however. Her aerial blast collided with the green Hippo Token, who only squealed as it was incinerated.

"I attack your remaining Hippo Tokens with Sonata and my second Aria," Yuzu declared.

The golden hippo and the orange hippo were destroyed in unison as the Melodious monsters delivered swift but effective dropkicks to each one.

Yuzu looked to her right, noticing an Action Card a couple of yards away. In a slow jog, she made her way over to the card and added it to her hand. Seeing what it was, she decided to forgo using it. Instead she grabbed another card from her hand.

"I set one card facedown. My turn is finished."

The card appeared underneath the first Aria's levitating body.

Yuya turned his head to the right, noticing the giant platform in the distance. There had to be an Action Card there somewhere, he figured, but the only monster he had was Sword Fish. By the time he ran there, Yuzu could have already taken it. Luckily, he had a faster way of reaching the location.

"Draw!" he shouted, doing just that.

Yuya cleared his throat, causing Yuzu's body to rigidify. She knew all too well what came next.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Yuya shouted, donning his best English accent. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, but our main performer needed time to prepare for his act. But don't worry, because we have a special show planned for today that you won't want to miss."

Tatsuya stood behind the window, completely transfixed by Yuya's performance. His mouth started to gape as he took a step closer.

"But before we can present him," Yuya proceeded, taking a card from his hand, "we have to give another supporting cast member a spot in the limelight! I summon Entermate Discover Hippo!"

A squeal ricocheted through the battlefield, just as it had in Yuya's dream. Accompanying the sounds was the same hippo as well, still dressed in its tuxedo, bowtie, and hat. It stood eagerly on its four legs, waiting for Yuya to jump on its back. (800 ATK)

The boy had other plans, however.

"On the turn that Discover Hippo is Normal Summoned," said Yuya, "in addition to my regular Normal Summon, I can Tribute Summon a high-Level monster from my hand."

"Is it coming?" Ayu asked.

"Big bro Yuya's ace monster," Futoshi cried, his body shaking as he hugged himself. "I'm getting shivers already!"

Discover Hippo and Sword Fish looked at each other, nodding their heads. Their bodies started to glow a furious white.

Yuya bowed to his monsters. "Thank you both, Sword Fish, Discover Hippo. But now it's time to bring out today's main attraction!" He took the middle card in his hand and held it high over his head. "I sacrifice my monsters for an Advance Summon!"

Both Entermate monsters dissolved into granules of light, and taking their place was a twelve-foot dragon. It roared, spinning its massive, scaly red body around to give Yuzu and the spectators a good look. Red spikes ran down its long purple neck, starting from its sharp golden beak. Two gems, one diamond shaped and one spherical, were implanted in the creature's head. The serrated claws on its hands were cream-colored, elegantly matching the pointy horn-like growths on its back. Wrapped around the dragon's torso was a similarly colored chest plate, bound together with two more lavender gems. Splashes of red and green glinted in the artificial sun as the monster's eyes illuminated. (2500 ATK)

"Introducing the main attraction, the rare dragon with differently colored eyes! Show yourself, Odd-Eyes Dragon!"

Up in the control room, Gongenzaka smirked at Yuya's performance. "Yuya."

Odd-Eyes Dragon lowered its body, allowing Yuya to climb into it. When the boy secured and maintained his footing atop the monster, he looked directly at Yuzu and shouted, "Everyone, the fun has just begun!"

"Amazing…" Tatsuya whispered, taking in the sight. Ayu and Futoshi smiled at the boy's exhilaration.

Yuzu couldn't help but smile, either. Seeing Yuya this happy wasn't uncommon for her, but she enjoyed it every time. His attitude was utterly infectious.

"That's it, Yuya!" Shuzo shouted from the sidelines. "Burn it up! Show them the hot-blooded dueling that we teach here!"

That, however, was enough to dampen Yuzu's mood. She turned in the direction of the voice and put a hand on her hip. Frowning, she cried, "Dad! Just whose side are you on?"

A nervous chuckle from Shuzo was the only response the question elicited.

Yuya turned his attention back to the platform. "All right, Odd-Eyes," he said. "Let's go that way!"

He pointed, and Odd-Eyes instantly took off. Stomping on the ground with enough force to create miniature tremors, Yuya found himself at his destination within a few seconds. And it was just his luck that there was, as he had hoped, an Action Card near the edge of the platform, next to the water. He leapt off his monster's back and scooped the card up.

"Oh, lucky!" Yuya laughed as he slid the card into his Duel Disk. "I activate the Action Magic, Nanana, which increases the ATK of a Level 7 monster by 700 until the end of the turn. Naturally, I'll being using it on Odd-Eyes Dragon!"

As Yuya played the card, a two foot banana appeared at his feet. The yellow fruit twisted itself in the shape of the number seven, and a golden glow coated Odd-Eyes. The dragon roared again as it siphoned the energy from Nanana. (2500 – 3200 ATK)

"Battle!" Yuya stated. "I send Odd-Eyes Dragon to attack Sonata! Spiral Flame!"

Odd-Eyes Dragon opened its mouth, and a flicker of dark red appeared at the back of its throat. The flames started to burn brighter, emitting a low heat and the sounds of crackling. When the energy filled every empty horizon in the monster's jowls, it unleashed the torrent at the yellow-skinned fairy. However, before the attack landed, Sonata disappeared from the line of fire, only to reappear next to Yuzu.

"Action Magic, Avoid," Yuzu said as the attack died down. She held the Action Card she had found above her head. "It allows me to negate the attack of one monster."

Yuya frowned, lowering his head. To his luck, he noticed something trapped underneath a rock in the blue water surrounding the platform. _Is that…_

With a deep breath, Yuya jumped into the six feet of water. Chills ran down his spine as the cold liquid embraced him, but he ignored them. Swimming to the bottom of the pond, he pressed his body against the miniature boulder. The Action Card loosened just enough to where Yuya was able to pry it from underneath the weight of the rock. He placed the card in his mouth and swam back to the surface.

The sound of spluttering and gasping resonated as Yuya savored the oxygen. Dragging himself back onto the platform, his clothes soaking wet and dripping on the tile, Yuya took a look at the Action Card. A smile illuminated his face.

 _Bingo._

"Action Magic, Redo, activate!"

Before the eyes of the three children, Gongenzaka, Shuzo, and the two duelists, time seemed to reverse. As if someone had pressed a rewind button, the images of Sonata appearing behind Yuzu, Odd-Eyes' assault, and Yuya's attack declaration all appeared in reverse chronological order.

"Redo is activated when an attack is negated," Yuya stated. "When used, it allows me to make the attack again on that same attack target."

He pointed to Sonata.

"One more time, Odd-Eyes, with feeling! Spiral Flame!"

Odd-Eyes obliged, sending another blast of red and black fire at the fairy. This time, however, Sonata didn't move as the attack impaled her. She cried out as the beam hit her chest, then exploded.

Yuzu covered her face as some of the lingering debris swept past her, but maintained her defensive stance. She knew what was coming next.

"And that's not all!" Yuya exclaimed. "Odd-Eyes Dragon, when it destroys an opponent's monster, will deal damage equal to half the destroyed monster's original attacking power to my opponent. Sonata's original ATK is 1200; therefore you'll receive 600 points of damage, Yuzu!"

A second, smaller torrent of flame came Yuzu's way. She flinched as the heat crossed her body, but her foothold remained steady.

"Furthermore, without Sonata, your monsters lose their boost," Yuya added.

Indeed, both the old and new Aria seemed to fall silent after Sonata's disappearance. (400 ATK and 1000 ATK, respectively)

Yuya, climbing atop Odd-Eyes Dragon, took a bow. "With that," he said, "I end my turn. During the End Phase, the effect of Nanana disappears, so the ATK of Odd-Eyes returns to normal."

(3200 – 2500 ATK)

 **(Yuya: 2850 LP/Yuzu: 1400)**

"Odd-Eyes Dragon," Yuzu said. She looked the monster up and down so as to size it up. "So you've gotten serious."

"As a fellow Entertainment Duelist, I'll fight you with my full strength, Yuzu," Yuya replied, smiling.

"Then let me give you the same honor. Draw!"

Yuzu picked up the top card of her deck, and her eyes flashed. _Perfect!_

"Now the real concert begins! I release my two copies of Aria the Melodious Diva. Advance Summon!"

Both Arias flew to the heavens, linking arms and becoming one with the clouds. Motes of bright light gathered as Yuzu chanted:

"Enchanting melody echoing in the heaven. Awaken the sleeping virtuoso."

Pallid white hands and arms with red cufflinks emerged from the cluster of light, sprinkling purple fairy dust. In a brilliant flash of light, the arms started to move as their master appeared. Hovering twenty feet in the air was an angel with grandiose butterfly wings made of piano keys. Her brunette hair was neatly arranged in curls and kept in place by a red crown. She wore a beautiful, billowing dress, imprinted with golden eighth note symbols and pink frills, that seemed two sizes too big at the bottom. She threw her right hand around erratically, motioning every which way with a conductor's baton. (2600 ATK)

"Come! Level 8, Mozarta the Melodious Maestra!"

"That's the way, Yuzu!" encouraged Yuya, seeming not to understand his predicament.

"I'm not done yet. Mozarta's monster effect activates!" continued Yuzu. "Once per turn, Mozarta can Special Summon a LIGHT monster from my hand."

She held a card up to the sky.

"Now, join us! I Special Summon Canon the Melodious Diva!"

Mozarta's fingers danced as though she were playing a piano. Then they began to turn teal as a light started to wash over them. With a flick of her wrist, she sent the beam of light forward, to Yuzu's right.

Appearing in the teal ray was a slender woman with purple skin and spiked blue hair. She wore a golden masquerade mask over her eyes that extended up to the middle of her hair and back behind both of her ears. The shoulders of her shirt were pink and puffy, and her dress was checkered and cut sharp. She closed her eyes, sang a couple notes, and a rainbow flurry of musical notes encircled her, in the shape of a neutron. (1400 ATK)

"You're up, Mozarta! Attack Odd-Eyes Dragon. Graceful Wave!"

Yuya's eyebrows perked up as he watched Mozarta swing her conductor's baton in loops, forming a makeshift infinity symbol. The piano keys on her wings lit up. The grass began to sway as Mozarta's preparation began to gain wind. Faster and faster, she swung the baton, until all at once she sent a spiraled ring of wind at Yuya's monster. Blades of grass were violently ripped from the Action Field as the attack neared.

"Odd-Eyes!" Yuya shouted, grabbing the horns of the dragon trying to steer it away from the attack. It had barely started to run before Yuya felt himself being thrust forward. Odd-Eyes roared loudly before exploding under the weight of the attack, leaving Yuya to fly ten feet forward. He landed prone on the grass. "Damn…"

 **(Yuya: 2750 LP/Yuzu: 1400)**

"I'm still going," Yuzu shouted from across the battlefield. Though she felt a bit guilty, she knew better than to let Yuya recover in time to get an Action Card. "Canon the Melodious Diva, direct attack!"

Like Aria, Canon opened her mouth and produced a stream of nearly-invisible energy. The blast shot forward, directly aimed at the fallen Yuya.

Wincing, Yuya sprang to his feet and rushed forward. Before he had hit the ground, he'd seen an Action Card underneath the oak tree to his right. He darted for it, listening to the sound of his panting competing with Canon's attack. Then he screamed as the strike hit his back, forcing him to drop to his knees.

 **(Yuya: 1350 LP/Yuzu: 1400)**

"Crap," he muttered, though he took solace in the fact that Yuzu's turn would soon be over. "Heh," he said, picking himself up off the ground. He brushed his jacket and pants, though they hadn't actually been sullied by the virtual grass, and smiled. "You're a pretty tough opponent, Yuzu. But now it's my turn to turn the tables on you!"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Yuzu returned, clicking a button on her Duel Disk. "Trap Card, activate! Melodious Illusion!"

"Eh?" Yuya cocked his head to the side. If he had seen the Trap before, he was sure he had forgotten it.

"Melodious Illusion," repeated Yuzu, pointing to Canon. "This card, during my Battle Phase, gives one of my Melodious monsters the ability to attack twice. Like this, I can make a second direct attack with Canon the Melodious Diva!"

Like before, Canon opened her mouth and a blast of sharp air was sent Yuya's way. However, unlike before, he was now a lot closer to the oak tree. He picked himself up and sprinted for the Action Card, reaching it with a good window of time to see which one it was. He smiled as he noted the image on the card.

"Action Magic, activate! Miracle!" Yuya shouted. He jammed the card in his Duel Disk. "By targeting Canon the Melodious Diva with this card, I can make her impervious during this battle and halve the damage that I take from her attack!"

"Melodious Illusion's additional effect activates," Yuzu said as the card flashed on her field. "The monster affected by this card's effect is unaffected by the Spells and Traps of my opponent this turn. Continue, Canon!"

"Eh!?" Yuya sweat-dropped, his eyes bulging as he saw the attack coming head-on. The next second he felt his body crash against the oak tree as he dropped to the ground. Stars seemed to be in his eyes as he dizzily watched the Action Field spin out of existence. He heard the triumphant fanfare as a panel with Yuzu's picture appeared in the air, declaring her the duel's winner.

 **(Yuya: 0 LP/Yuzu: 1400)**

Yuzu watched the Action Field disappear into sparkles of light. The dilapidated dueling room returned, with its plain white walls and cracked ceiling. Then she walked over to Yuya. She crouched down, offering the dazed boy her hand.

"Ow, ow. T-thanks," Yuya said, still a little disoriented as he took Yuzu's hand and stood. "You really got me there. You're really a strong opponent, Yuzu."

Yuzu tried and failed to stifle a smile. "Thank you, Yuya."

"Next time I'll get you," Yuya promised, more to himself than to Yuzu.

The two of them found Ayu sticking her tongue out at Futoshi when they entered the spectating room. "See," she said. "I told you she would win!"

Yuya chuckled a little, then looked to Tatsuya. "So, what did you think?"

Tatsuya's eyes couldn't keep still. He held a hand over his chest. "My heart was beating the entire time. Is that the feeling of an entertainment duel?"

"Something like that," Yuya replied, smiling.

Shuzo stepped forward, gazing over Yuya's shoulder at Mrs. Yamashiro. "Umm…Can we sign Tatsuya up, then?"

Tatsuya looked from Yuya to Shuzo to his mother, who was looking at him. Tatsuya eagerly nodded.

"It would appear that way," Mrs. Yamashiro replied.

Shuzo punched the air proudly. "That's the way!" he shouted. "We'll teach Tatsuya to become more hot-blooded in his duel, and then even more hot-blooded! He'll be a fiery entertainment duelist in no time!"

"Yes, well," Mrs. Yamashiro said, clearing growing tired of Shuzo's passionate outbursts, "see to it that you do. He can start tomorrow. Is that all right with you?" she asked.

Shuzo nodded.

"Very well. Come along, Tatsuya," she said, grabbing her son's hand and leading him forward. Before they left, Tatsuya looked over his shoulder, smiled, and waved at his future schoolmates.

"Yosh! Looks like we've got another student joining us!" Shuzo was ecstatic. He marched to the room doors, swinging them open wide enough for Yuzu to catch up. "Let's go finalize the paperwork, Yuzu."

"Me?" Yuzu said, incredulously pointing to herself, but her father was already out the door. With a sigh, she followed him.

"I wonder what the new kid's gonna be like," Ayu said to Futoshi as the trailed behind Yuzu and Shuzo.

"I bet you lose to him before I do," Futoshi snickered. "My dueling will give him shivers!"

"Nuh-uh," Ayu said.

"Yeah-huh," Futoshi replied. Then they, too, were out the door.

Yuya stood alone in the spectating room, looking through the one-way mirror. He took his deck from his Duel Disk and held it in his hands. He thought of his father.

 _Were you watching my duel there, dad?_ he wondered. _I'll get better and become a true entertainment duelist someday. Just like you. I promise._

Yuya turned his deck over, looking at the bottom card. Odd-Eyes Dragon.

 _Just you wait, dad._

His arm grazed his pendant as he placed his deck back in his pants' pocket. Then he walked forward, through the doors and into the school foyer where the rest of his friends were waiting.

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OCG/Anime/Custom Cards Shown In This Chapter –

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 **Entermate Silver Claw (Pendulum Monster)**

Beast/Pendulum/Scale 5-5/Effect/DARK

1800 ATK/700 DEF

Pendulum Effect: "Entermate" monsters you control gain 300 ATK.

Monster Effect: When this card declares an attack: All "Entermate" monsters you currently control gain 300 ATK until the end of the Battle Phase.

Note: This card can be found in the V Jump Promotional Cards. It is currently only available in Japan.

Note 2: For this chapter, this monster is only an Effect Monster, and thus only has its second effect.

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 **Melodious Illusion (Trap)**

Normal Trap

Image: Aria the Melodious Diva and twelve illusory copies of her adopting a symmetrical pose.

Effect: Target 1 "Melodious" monster you control; this turn, that target is unaffected by the effects of your opponent's Spell/Trap Cards, also it can make a second attack during each Battle Phase.

Note: This card can be found in the Crossed Souls booster pack. It is currently slated for released in the United States in May, 2015.

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 **Nanana (Spell)**

Normal Spell/Action Card

Image: Yuya Sakaki striking a pose with two Duel Monsters cards in his hands, while Nanana, the TV Tokyo mascot, stands beside him.

Effect: Target 1 Level 7 or Rank 7 monster you control; it gains 700 ATK and DEF until the end of this turn.

Note: This card can be found in the TV Tokyo Festival Promotion card set. It is currently only available in Japan.

Note 2: Despite being an actual card, because of its appearance on the show, this card will be used as an Action Card throughout the entirety of the story (should it appear again).

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 **Avoid (Spell)**

Normal Spell/Action Card

Image: A man in a full-on black body suit leaping out of the way of a blue meteorite.

Effect: Target 1 attacking monster on the field; negate that monster's attack.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Miracle (Spell)**

Normal Spell/Action Card

Image: A man in a full-on black body suit rejoicing as diamonds float around him.

Effect: Target 1 monster on the field; that monster cannot be destroyed by battle during this battle, also halve any battle damage either player takes from attacks involving that monster.

Note: The above two cards were first seen in Episode 1 of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V." Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

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 **Redo (Spell)**

Normal Spell/Action Card

Image: A man in a full-on black body suit rewinding the hands on his pocket watch.

Effect: When a monster attacks another monster and that attack is negated: Target the attacking monster; this turn, it can attack once again, but it can only attack monsters with the same name as the one attacked.

Note: This card first appeared in this chapter.

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Author's Note: One day, when he arrives at You Show, Yuya is surprised to find a familiar man waiting for him – Nico Smiley, the announcer in his dream. What business does he have with Yuya, exactly? Much to Yuya's surprise, Nico Smiley offers him the chance of a lifetime. But will Yuya accept it or face the same fate as his father, those three years ago? Next time: "The Chance of a Lifetime." Be there or be square.


	2. The Chance of a Lifetime

Quick author's note: This took a little longer than I thought it would, but here it is. Beforehand, though, I'd like to thank everyone who followed, subscribed, reviewed, and above all else, just plain read this story. It really helps me to know what I'm doing well, and I really do appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. And hang in there, because these things are about to get wild after this chapter. All right, all that aside, let's get rolling, shall we?

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 **Chapter 2: The Chance of a Lifetime**

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At 3:00 p.m. on the dot, Yuya and Yuzu walked down the hallways of Maiami Second Middle School, like any other day. Yuya stretched and placed his hands behind his head, staring up at the never-ending expanse of blue sky in the balmy springtime that met them outside the building; Yuzu, to his left, kept pace with him, her pink hair bouncing with each step as she thought of something.

"Say, Yuya." Her fingers clutched her gray satchel tighter.

"Eh?" Yuya felt the temptation to take his eyes away from the sky, but couldn't bring himself to do it. "Something on your mind, Yuzu?"

"You know we're getting that new student today, right?" Yuzu looked at Yuya, trying to follow his gaze, to no avail. "That Tatsuya Yamashiro."

"Ah, yeah, that's right," Yuya said, as though he had forgotten the past twenty-four hours of his life. "It's been a while since we've had a new student, right?"

Yuzu nodded, though Yuya, still staring into the endless blue, didn't catch the motion. "The last one was Ayu."

"Ah, that's right, isn't it?"

Yuzu nodded again. "That's right."

"Well, I guess now she won't be the new–"

Yuya's sentence was broken as he fell backwards, on his behind. He rubbed his backside, groaning "ow, ow, ow," and looked at the person he had just bumped into, who gave him a sharp scowl back.

"Oi, watch where you're going next time, bastard!" came a fiery response from the boy, dressed in the same school uniform as Yuya, his nostrils flaring with each word. He had neatly-kempt brown hair, dyed a golden-blond in the front. The boy stood up, brushing his jacket off, careful to wipe off every fleck of dust.

"S-Sorry," Yuya stammered. Yuzu placed her satchel at her side, helping Yuya get to his feet. "I wasn't watching where I was going and…"

"Save it," the boy said curtly, "and make sure he doesn't happen again." He turned his back on the two.

"Hey!" Yuzu huffed. "He said he was sorry. What more do you want?"

"I said save it, didn't I?" the boy said over his shoulder. "He's lucky I didn't press charges. My father is a very important and influential man in this town, you know, and I could easily have him…"

The brown-haired boy looked over his shoulder to see Yuya and Yuzu walking the other way, continuing their own conversation as if the altercation had never happened.

"O-oi!" shouted the brown-haired boy. "Did you hear a word I just said?"

But Yuya and Yuzu were already out of earshot, so the boy grimaced at the ground, turned the other way, and began to walk home.

"You really should watch where you're going, you know," chided Yuzu as they continued on their way to You Show.

"Yeah, my bad." Yuya chuckled, almost nervously, and rubbed the nape of his neck. "I was just so excited about the idea of another person being enrolled in You Show."

Yuzu, understanding what Yuya really meant, smiled. "You mean because of your father, right? Because he was the one who created the school?"

Yuya nodded with a smile, unconsciously clutching the pendant around his neck. "If he were here right now, I'm sure he'd be just as excited as I am. Maybe even more so. That school was his legacy, after all."

It was at times like these that Yuzu wondered, though she would never say it aloud, if Yuya was curious about the whereabouts of his father, Yusho, after the past three years. She wondered, sometimes, what it felt like not to have a father around at all. Even as overbearing and embarrassing as hers could be, she was still grateful for his presence.

"Then we'd better hurry," Yuzu smirked. "If we make it there ahead of time, maybe you can duel Tatsuya before my dad starts the lecture."

Yuya smiled at the thought. "I'll race you there."

"You're on," Yuzu said, giving him a smile of her own.

"On three," Yuya said. "One…two…"

But Yuzu had already taken off before Yuya had gotten to two, giggling as she raced down the sidewalks. Determination etched itself on her face like paint on a canvas.

"N-no fair, Yuzu!" Yuya shouted as he ran ahead, trying desperately to keep in line with Yuzu's strides.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

"I win," Yuzu grinned, leaning against the front entrance of the You Show school. "Better luck next time, though."

"You wouldn't have gotten that far ahead if you waited until three," Yuya panted, wiping the sweat from his brow.

Yuzu shrugged. "Guess we won't know for sure." She turned and held the front door open for Yuya. "Shall we?"

Yuya grumbled something under his breath as the two of them marched into the school. The silence was instantly jarring; Yuya was taken aback by the sound of his footsteps echoing against the linoleum foyer floor.

"Weird," he muttered. "It's usually not this quiet around here."

"Ayu?" Yuzu called out. "Futoshi? Dad?"

No response was issued. Only their footsteps responded to their voices.

"Maybe they're all on the third floor," Yuya said. "Your dad might have started class early."

"That's not likely," Yuzu said, knowing her father's promptness more often than not left something to be desired. "Though since they're not here, we probably should check up there."

"Right." Yuya said, clicking the elevator's up button, and the two piled into the elevator as the doors opened.

Yuya instantly felt a wave of heat come across his cheeks as he realized, for the first time, just how small the school's elevator was. He briefly remembered his conversation with Yuzu about LDS the day before, and he wondered if their elevators were that enclosed.

The elevator dinged, announcing their passing of the second floor.

"Say, Yuya."

Yuya, for what seemed like the first time that afternoon, looked at Yuzu.

"You remember yesterday when we were talking about LDS?" Yuzu broke her eye contact for a moment.

Yuya nodded. "I remember."

She opened her mouth to say something, but seemed to decide against it. She shook her head, giving a small but defeated smile. "No, it's nothing."

"Yuzu, if…" Again, Yuya found one of his sentences broken, this time by the ding of the elevator as the doors opened, revealing the third floor.

"My, my," said a distant, familiar voice. A figure rose from the couch facing the elevator doors. "There's the man of the hour now. Sakaki Yuya!"

Though Yuya hadn't before met the man, who was now energetically shaking his hand so hard he thought it might fall off, he certainly knew who he was.

"Y-you're…Nico Smiley," Yuya gasped. "The manager of…"

"Strong Ishijima," Nico finished, bowing to Yuya. "Or should I say, the manager-slash-promoter? At your service."

From the chair behind Nico, Shuzo waved at Yuya and Yuzu. Ayu, Futoshi, and Tatsuya were standing beside him.

"Yuzu, Yuya," he said.

"Strong Ishijima, the current duel champion?" Yuzu said hesitantly, looking from her father to Nico Smiley to Yuya and back to her father. "Dad, what's going on here?"

"Well," Shuzo began, pausing to take a second to consider his words, "well, the thing is…"

Nico Smiley put a hand up. "Allow me," he said, turning to Yuya. He cleared his throat and began to speak, as though he had memorized the words like a mantra:

"Yuya, how would you like a chance to duel Strong Ishijima in your father's stead?"

Yuya's eyes widened instantaneously. "Eh?" He pointed to himself in disbelief. "Me?"

"That's right," Nico said. "After all, it was your wish those three years ago, wasn't it?"

"My wish…" Yuya put a considerable amount of space in between the words, then closed his eyes, replaying the past in his mind's eye.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

" _ **Dad's definitely going to defeat Strong Ishijima and keep his title, won't he?" An eleven year old Yuya asked his mother over the cheers of the crowd. The sky was dark and the brightness of the spotlights on the dueling field gave it a heavenly appearance. Not waiting for his mother's response, he said, "There's no way that he's ever gonna lose his title!" He paused and, with a chuckle, added, "At least until I duel him for it!"**_

" _ **Yes," said Yuya's mother, Yoko. She looked absently at the stadium arena. "He'll definitely come out and win."**_

 _ **Minutes passed, and after what seemed like hours of standing there, Strong Ishijima waited in his corner of the arena. He grabbed the microphone attached to his headset and shouted, "Show yourself, Sakaki Yusho! Just because you're the current champion doesn't mean you can keep me waiting!"**_

 _ **But no reply was issued. The crowd became restless. Voices drifted on the air, filling Yuya's head with acrimonious words – "coward, cheat, weakling, quitter." They were words he had only heard in television shows, never those to describe another person, let alone his father.**_

 _ **The duel's announcer resounded over the loud speakers. "Here we are at the Action Duel Championship Finals, but where is our current champion? Where is Yusho Sakaki?"**_

 _ **And above it all came Strong Ishijima's voice:**_

" _ **What, got cold feet, Yusho? Are you going to run away from me in front of everyone?"**_

 _ **Yuya couldn't contain his feelings any longer. He raced past his mother, running to the edge of the inner stadium. He pounded his fists against the metal railings, tears streaking his face as he did so, raised his voice as high as it could go, and shouted for Strong Ishijima, for the audience, for his father, for anyone and everyone to hear, that he would duel against Strong Ishijima in his father's place until he returned.**_

 _ **Spectators turned to Yuya. Yoko ran toward her son, trying to pull him away from the railing. Before she succeeded, Yuya yelled, "I'll never run away from you!"**_

 **0-0-0-0-0**

He still remembered his words perfectly – it was rare that a week went by without him thinking of that day, of that promise: "I'll never run away from you."

Yuya shook his head violently, bringing himself back into reality. He clutched his father's pendant so hard he thought the blue crystal might break under the weight of his hand.

"Wait," Yuzu interrupted with a hand to her chest, prompting all eyes to focus on her. She stared at Shuzo. "Dad, how can you be okay with this?"

"Well…the thing is," Shuzo stuttered. Truthfully, he was having regrets, too. He understood how Yuya must have felt on that day. He hadn't formally accepted Nico Smiley's offer, and he didn't necessarily want to, but it seemed too good to pass up.

"Of course," Nico added quickly, "this won't be a simple publicity stunt for Strong Ishijima; I made sure of that myself. No, as the school that is sponsoring Yuya, we are more than eager to donate a brand new, state-of-the-art Real-Solid Vision System to You Show, free of charge!"

Yuzu watched her father blanch a little at this information. In that moment she wondered if he had been thinking the same thing as her, worrying about the enrollment competition at LDS. Worrying if You Show could compete against them. She wouldn't condone her father's methods, but she could understand them.

Nico Smiley pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, staring intently at Yuya. "At the thought of Yusho Sakaki's fans seeing his son duel, I couldn't contain my excitement," he said, reaching for the coffee table behind him and grabbing a magazine. He opened it to a dog-eared page and pointed at a picture of Yuya. "That's why I took the liberty of already preparing this duel in advance. It will be tomorrow at noon."

"Why go so far?" Yuzu said under her breath, afraid of saying the words any louder.

"Of course," Nico said in a higher pitch, as though he had heard Yuzu's complaint, "we don't wish to force you into anything you're not willing to do, Yuya. You're free to cancel the duel against Strong Ishijima – that is if you really want to."

He pushed his glasses up further, and for the first time his eyes adopted a look of solemnity.

"Of course, I wouldn't recommend doing such a thing. An experience like this doesn't just happen every day. It's the chance of a lifetime."

"A duel against Strong Ishijima," Ayu said, more to herself than her friends.

"I definitely wouldn't turn it down," Futoshi nodded. "Something like that could never happen twice."

Tatsuya, as he had been doing for the entirety of the conversation, looked from Ayu and Futoshi to Shuzo to Yuzu and finally to Nico Smiley and Yuya. He wondered if this type of thing was par for the course when it came to You Show.

"What's important right now how Yuya feels about this."

The three children turned to see Gongenzaka leaning against the doorframe. How long he had been there listening to the conversation was anyone's guess.

"It's his decision to make," Gongenzaka added.

Yuya felt a strange pressure inside him as he looked at his feet. He didn't need to look up to know that everyone was watching him, watching his every move and scrutinizing him like the audience had scrutinized his father three years ago. He felt some feeling welling up inside him, but he couldn't assign a name to the emotion.

Wordlessly, his fingers fiddled with the goggles atop his head, and he pulled them over his eyes. "I have to go," he said, quickly enough to where it all came out as one word. He bolted for the door and didn't stop running, not even when he heard what must have been everyone in the room shouting his name.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

It was sunset. Yuya stood on his porch, taking a deep breath. He opened the front door of his house, and despite how quietly he tried to close it, he still heard his mother's voice rise from the other room: "Yuya, is that you?"

Yuya tried to smile as wide as he could, tried to make his voice energetic and light, like normal. He looked at himself in the vanity mirror on the wall, at the goggles that still covered his eyes and the broken half-smile painted on his face. He pondered whether his mother had replaced it with a funhouse mirror in his absence or not. "Yeah, Mom. I'll be in my room. I've got a lot of homework to do tonight."

Before Yuya could take two steps, his mother appeared from the kitchen, a dirtied apron hanging over her teal blouse and dropping down to the middle of her blue jeans. She wiped her face with the sleeve of her shirt, getting pinches of flour on her forehead and in her golden hair. Yuya watched her hoop earrings swing back and forth as she walked closer to him. The motion reminded him of a pendulum.

"You, doing homework on Friday?" she looked him up and down, then touched his forehead with the back of her hand. When she pulled it away, a flour tattoo appeared in between his eyes. "You're not sick, are you?"

Yuya looked to the side. "No. I'm just…" He thought of Nico Smiley's proposition, deciding something.

"Eh?" Yoko stared at her son, watching as the sunset turned his hair an auburn hue. "What's wrong, Yuya?"

Yuya looked at his mother through his goggles. "I was asked to participate in a duel against Strong Ishijima tomorrow, in Dad's place. The man, this Nico Smiley – Strong Ishijima's manager – he reminded me that it was my wish from three years ago."

Yoko's countenance darkened in the setting sun.

"Is that so?" she said.

"It's true," he continued. "It's true that three years ago, I…I promised Ishijima that I would duel for him until Dad came back. But, now…"

Yuya looked at the ground, watching his mother's shadow expand and contract in the orange light. He balled his fingers into fists and through clenched teeth said, "What should I do? I just don't know what to do."

Yoko took another step forward, crouched down, and removed Yuya's goggles and placing them on top of his messy hair. His gaze instantly shifted to his mother's compassionate face, her understanding eyes. He rubbed his eyes.

"I can't tell you what to do," Yoko said.

"But…"

"I can only tell you that you should follow your heart, wherever it leads you. You can't do anything if you're frozen in fear."

Yuya's mouth propped open as he remembered his father saying those exact same words.

"Take a step forward and have courage," Yoko said, donning her best impression of her husband. She smiled. It wasn't much, but for Yuya it was something. "Isn't that what your father would tell you?"

"Mom…"

"It's your decision, Yuya. Don't let anyone else make it for you. Just remember that you have the power to make your own future based on what you do in the present."

And with that, Yoko stood up, brushed her apron off, and walked back.

"Dinner will be ready in ten minutes," she said, stepping into the kitchen and disappearing behind the wall.

Yuya looked out the window, watching the cars zoom by, watching the seagulls flying over the river, watching the sun set in the distance.

From the kitchen, he heard the phone ring. He heard his mother groan and wipe her hands together. "Hello?" she said. "Yes, this is his mother." Yoko's voice became softer, more indistinguishable.

 _Dad..._ Yuya thought. He thought of his father's words. _Take a step forward and have courage._ He watched a seagull fly in and out of view, gliding against the glinting water of the harbor outside the window.

"The power to make my own future," he repeated. He removed his pendant and clutched it in his hands. He swung it back and forth, watching it move from side to side like a pendulum.

 _Swing, pendulum_ , he thought as the movement of the pendant begin to slow. _More, and even more._ He stood this way for a while, watching the outside world like a stranger and thinking about the past, thinking about his promise that day, thinking about his future until, ten minutes later, his mother called him for dinner.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

The following day, at 10 o'clock in the morning, the stadium was alive with electric energy. Blimps and jets flew over, spelling cloudy words in the sky. Rows of photogenic cheerleaders waving around golden pompoms danced on the ground. There wasn't an empty seat anywhere in the stadium. It seemed as though the entirety of Maiami City had come from far and wide just for this event. Parents and their children, men in business attire, women wearing outfits more fitting for an opera than sitting on the bleachers and watching a duel.

It was around this time that Yuzu and her father, Gongenzaka, and Ayu, Futoshi and Tatsuya walked through the entryway. The scorching sun made them shield their eyes as they looked frantically from side to side.

"Do you see him yet?" Yuzu asked. She had called Yuya twice the night before, and once that morning, but he hadn't replied. She briefly thought of him, how he had ran out of the room when Nico Smiley requested an answer to his proposition, and she wondered if Yuya would be there at all.

"No." Gongenzaka shook his head. He looked at the unrecognizable faces in the bleachers, then at the dueling field, which was empty save for one man wearing a tacky pinstripe suit. "All I see is…"

A microphone-enhanced voice drowned out the remainder of Gongenzaka's observation. The members of You Show recognized the owner of the voice as Nico Smiley.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it's time for the main event of the day! I hope you're as excited as I am!"

The crowd cheered, stamped their feet, threw their hands up, and shouted until their voices became raspy.

"I'm glad to hear it, because facing our current Duel Champion, Strong Ishijima, is none other than the son of Yusho Sakaki, the pioneer of Action Duels and preceding Duel Champion. It is with great pleasure that I introduce you to Yuya Sakaki!"

"So he decided to come after all…" Yuzu held her hand over her chest.

"Big brother Yuya," Futoshi and Ayu said together.

"Is he really thinking of challenging the current Duel Champion?" Gongenzaka sputtered.

"I wonder if that Nico Smiley was serious about that brand new Real Solid Vision machine," Shuzo muttered under his breath, tapping his chin with a finger. His comment elicited a swift, hard smack across the back of his head, administered by Yuzu's paper fan.

'Pursuant to the regulations of Action Dueling, it's time that we set the frontier, isn't it?" But first, we need a field!" Nico Smiley grinned. He took a couple steps forward, and the You Show students saw him standing in the middle of the field. He held his hand out, and an Action Card fell from the sky.

"Oh, it's a good one today!" he said. "Field Magic, Frontier Fang Castle, activate!"

The underside of one of the blimps overhead retracted, and a Real Solid Vision machine descended from inside it. Some of the smaller children in the stands pointed in awe as the circles surrounding the machine started to brighten. Cones of light fell on the ground, on the bleachers, on the clouds in the sky, and then everything all at once changed.

Motes of light sprinkled on the stadium field. The highest ones fell down, creating a majestic castle made of goldenrod bricks. The top of the castle stood seventy-five feet above the ground. The entire thing was perched on a mountainous fragmentation of rocks, while smaller towers encircled the large one. A moat of shrubberies and trees – oaks, pines, maples, and cedars – sealed the castle in isolation.

Still, a figure, small in the distance from where the You Show crew stood, moved atop the castle. His face appeared in the monitors that surrounded the stadium, muscular and serious. His hair was purple and arranged in neatly symmetrical spikes, which ended in a longer ponytail. Red face paint edged around his eyes. The man's garb, studded and plated, resembled something militaristic as opposed to that of a duelist.

"What's this?" Nico Smiley shouted in the microphone, grinning from ear to atop. "On top of the castle there!" He pointed to the man. "Could it be? It is! It's Strong Ishijima, the reigning champion of Action Duels for the past three years!"

Ishijima beat the air upward with his fists, then put them in front of his face. His aggressive stance remained unbreakable.

"And our challenger of the day, who has come to duel him in his father's place, Yu…"

"Ladies and gentlemen!"

The voice, overpowering even Nico Smiley's, also came from the castle. Strong Ishijima quickly turned around to see Yuya standing behind him. How he had gotten up there without the Strong Ishijima knowing was uncertain, even to Nico Smiley, who had specifically told Yuya to stay in the waiting room until his name was called.

"Today we have a very special duel for you," Yuya laughed, saying this. "Don't look away, not even for one second, or you might just miss it!"

"So you're Yusho's son," Strong Ishijima said. "Well, then, after I beat you, maybe your father stop running and come to face me like he should have three years ago. Only then will my Champion title be fulfilled."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," said Yuya, still smiling. "After all, you'll have to beat me first, won't you?"

"That shouldn't take long."

"We'll just see about that," Yuya replied. "Now, then, allow me the honor of dueling with you, Champion." He stretched every syllable in the word.

"It's beginning!" Nico Smiley announced. "The fated duel between Strong Ishijima and Yusho Sakaki's predecessor, Yuya Sakaki!"

Yuya threw his arm over his head, and his Duel Disk, now reading "Duel Mode: Standby," unfolded its black tray. Strong Ishijima did the same with his black Duel Disk.

"Let's see how good you are, Champion." Again, Yuya tinged Strong Ishijima's title with a hint of sarcasm.

"How _good_ I am," Ishijima repeated, clearly losing his patience with Yuya. "I'm going to enjoy giving you a much-needed lesson in discipline. Consider it a parting gift; it was meant for your father."

Yuya felt a bead of sweat trickle down his face at Ishijima's threat, but he couldn't but smile. He became acutely aware of his heartbeat, pounding against the chest. He became aware of the sounds of the crowd, the shouts and hollers.

 _So this is a true Entertainment Duel,_ he thought to himself. He was ready to prove himself.

"It looks like our players are ready," Nico Smiley shouted. He turned his back to the castle and made his way to the commentator's booth. "Now if both players will draw their cards…"

Yuya and Strong Ishijima made five draws.

Nico Smiley cleared his throat. "Join me if you know this one…Duelists locked in battle!"

The audience joined in. "Kicking against the earth and dancing alongside their monsters! They storm through this field!"

And even Ayu and Futoshi caught themselves saying the rest, "Behold! This is the newest and greatest evolution of Dueling! Action…"

"Duel!" the duelists shouted.

And with a snap of Nico Smiley's fingers, a flurry of Action Cards fell on the field.

 **(Yuya Sakaki: 4000 LP/Strong Ishijima: 4000 LP)**

"Let's make a fun duel," Yuya said, flashing his opponent a smile.

"Fun?" Strong Ishijima repeated the word as though it was on fire.

"I'll take the first move," declared the crimson-eyed boy, looking at the five cards in his hand. Then he looked up, out at the audience. His smile widened as he imagined how his father must have felt in situations like these. _Dad, please watch me. I'll bring my best Entertainment Duel in your stead._

"Hey, are you going to take your turn?" Ishijima asked.

"Of course, I wouldn't want to keep the audience waiting." Yuya cleared his throat and raised his voice. "Ladies and gentlemen! Watch closely as we bring you the strongest Action Duel!"

He grabbed a card.

"For my first act, I summon Entermate Skullcrobat Joker!"

A light, bubbly laugh filled the arena as a monster formed. Unlike many of its allies, this one was a human male with blond hair. He wore black and purple parachute pants, pointed shoes, a black mask over his eyes, and a blue bowtie. The coattails of his shirt moved in the zephyr. He tipped his patchy purple top hat and bowed. (1800 ATK)

Gripping the castle bricks, he climbed to the very top, perching himself on the edge of the turret. Skullcrobat Joker followed, standing a few feet in front of him. From here, Yuya could see everyone in the crowd.

"Get down from there, brat!" Ishijima shouted. "Face me like a true duelist. Or are you going to follow in your father's lead?"

The comments didn't faze Yuya. Instead, he retreated behind his monster and held up three fingers. "One, two, three!"

With a click of his fingers, Skullcrobat Joker tipped its hat, spilling a distracting stream of confetti and fireworks. When the pyrotechnics stopped, Ishijima and the crowd looked at the empty ether where the boy had been.

"Where'd he go?" A couple voices from the crowd wondered. A few snickers preceded one man's comment, which came loud enough for the You Show spectators to hear: "Maybe he ran away like his father. Cowardice must run in his family."

Yuzu's anger bubbled under her skin. She started to approach her when Gongenzaka put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't waste your time with them," he said. "Yuya will pull through in the end."

Frowning, Yuzu nodded in understanding.

"Look!" Tatsuya shouted, pointing to one of the trees, spotting a hint of movement. The others turned their heads to one of the oak trees in the Action Field. Standing on one of the leafy branches was Yuya, taking a bow with Skullcrobat Joker.

"Tada!" he said, grinning wildly at his own antics.

"So that's what he was planning," Yuzu said.

"Just like his father."

Yuzu, Shuzo, Gongenzaka, and the three children of You Show turned to see Yoko standing behind them, arms crossed over her chest.

"Yoko," Shuzo said, surprised to see her. She hadn't been to a live duel in three years, as he well knew.

Yoko took a step closer, adding, "Seeing him there now reminds me of him." A smile crossed her lips.

"I activate Entermate Skullcrobat Joker's effect," Yuya said, returning to his normal posture. "When this monster is Normal Summoned, I can add one Entermate, Magician, or Odd-Eyes monster to my hand from my deck. With this effect…"

He grabbed his deck, smiling as he plucked a card from the middle.

"I add Odd-Eyes Dragon to my hand!"

"Big bro Yuya's ace!" Ayu cheered.

"I'm getting shivers already!" Futoshi added, shaking like gelatin.

"I set one card facedown," Yuya called, placing the card behind Skullcrobat Joker. It appeared momentarily, only to be swallowed by the foliage. "You're up now, Champion." He made sure to emphasize the last word.

"Hmph…I'll teach you your place, brat," Ishijima said. "Draw!"

He drew, turning the card around for Yuya and the audience to see.

"I summon Battleguard #3!"

A muscular blue ogre appeared before Ishijima. It had downward-pointing horns, a purple mullet and tuft of hair on its chest, and bearskin cuffs on its wrists and ankles. Its loincloth flapped in the breeze of its heavy spiked club. (1000 ATK)

"Battleguard #3's effect activates," said Ishijima. "When this monster is summoned, I can Special Summon, from my hand, Battleguard #4."

A portly brown ogre digitalized next to its comrade. It was garbed in nothing but a purple toga and similar bearskin cuffs. Its horns were intermingled in its wavy blue hair, which reached halfway down its back. It, too, carried a spiked club. (1200 ATK)

"What? Two monsters in one go?" Yuya looked up at the tower, shifting his gaze from the Battleguards to Ishijima.

"That's not all," Ishijima continued, taking another card. "I activate the Continuous Spell, Precious Cards from Beyond!"

The card materialized before Ishijima's feet.

"This card works as follows," he said. "Each time that I Advance Summon a monster using two or more Tributes, I can draw two cards."

Yuya pointed to the first Battleguard monster. "But you already Normal Summoned."

"Naïve." Ishijima turned behind him. With his advanced knowledge of the Action Field, he knew just where an Action Card would be. He walked into the castle, taking his time, and grabbed a card, smiling when he saw what it was.

"Action Magic, activate! Summon Chain!"

Yuya gritted his teeth, knowing what was going to happen. From behind him he heard a few cheers from the audience.

"Summon Chain, when activated, allows me to perform an additional Normal Summon during my turn," Ishijima said, "but only for that of an Advance Summon. Luckily…"

He turned another card in his hand around.

"I release the Battleguard #3 and Battleguard #4 on my field! Advance Summon!"

The Battleguards roared one final time before jumping off the tower. They turned into particles of light before a monster three times their size took form. It was crimson and muscular with spiked gray armor that resembled claws. Uneven horns were attached to its helmet, the left one pierced with a brass earring. Studded gauntlets wrapped around its wrists, and it carried a club in one hand that was almost as big as it was. It held its club in the air, eclipsing the blistering sun. (3000 ATK)

"Come forth from the depths of the hidden wood, crushing the giant trees in your way. King of savages, ruler of the wild. Battleguard King!"

Yuya grunted. "3000 ATK…"

"It's too early to get comfortable," Ishijima said. "I activate the effect of Precious Cards from Beyond to draw two more cards."

He did so, then played one of the two.

"Next, I activate the Spell Card, Feast of the Wild LV5. With it, I can Special Summon, with their effects negated and unable to attack, two Level 5 Warrior monsters from my hand or Graveyard. Come, Lava Battleguard, Swamp Battleguard!"

Two monsters, similar in appearance, materialized on either side of Battleguard King. The first, red with upward horns, carried a club with metal spikes. The second, brown with downward horns, had a club with wooden spikes. Both had mullets and tufts of chest hair, and wore loincloths around their thighs. (1550 and 1800 ATK, respectively)

"No way," Ayu gasped. "He summoned three monsters at once."

"Even so," added Tatsuya, "those two can't attack. They're only for show."

"Now," Strong Ishijima shouted, as though answering Tatsuya's statement, "Battleguard King's effect activates! By releasing any number of Warrior-Type monsters on my field, Battleguard King gains an additional attack during the Battle Phase equal to that amount! With this effect, I release Lava and Swamp Battleguard!"

"What's this?" Nico Smiley shouted from the stands. "Strong Ishijima, Tributing both of his monsters, can now launch three attacks with his ace monster, Battleguard King! How will challenger Sakaki reply?"

"Tch…" Yuya looked around him for Action Cards. From his vantage point near the tops of the trees, he noticed one on the ground. Quickly he jumped down, moving from branch to branch, Skullcrobat Joker trailing behind.

Strong Ishijima's eyes followed. "I won't let you escape like your father did." He thrust a hand out. "Battle Phase! I attack Skullcrobat Joker with Battleguard King!"

Battleguard King stalked forward, overshadowing the parade of trees. Yuya, on the second to last branch, saw the monster bring its massive club down. Without thinking, he dove to the ground, curling his body into a ball. He didn't think to even look at the Action Card when his fingers swiped it. He rolled forward, somersaulting a couple times, and jammed the card in his disk.

"Action Magic! Avoid!"

Skullcrobat Joker vanished, and Barbarian King's club struck the space where it had been.

"This card negates your attack," Yuya said, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"So you're able to use Action Cards, are you?" Ishijima scoffed. "However, the second attack is coming. Do it, Battleguard King!"

Strong Ishijima's monster, not yet exhausted, lifted its club in the air again. Yuya wasn't quick enough to spot any Action Cards this time, however, and the monster's massive swing of its weapon sent Skullcrobat Joker flying off in the distant sky like a shooting star. Yuya's body was flung fifteen feet back from the residual impact.

 **(Yuya: 2800 LP/Strong Ishijima: 4000 LP)**

Yuya placed the card in his Graveyard slot, then looked around him for another Action Card. The desolate trees and bushes stared back.

"This will finish you off, brat," Ishijima shouted. He grabbed the steel handle on the rope pulley that connected the tower to the ground and slid downward. When he reached the bottom, he lunged forward, throwing himself onto the ground and landing feet-first. He walked over to Yuya's fallen body until he was twenty feet away. "Consider your wish granted."

Yuya thought back to his wish those three years ago. When he was younger, he wished, sometimes, that he had never made it. He wouldn't take it back now.

"This duel is over. Battleguard King, attack him directly!"

Battleguard King roared, swinging its weapon around like a madman. Saliva dripped from its pointy teeth. And with a decisive thrust, it brought the weapon down on the boy.

"Yuya!" Yuzu cried, running to the edge of the spectator ring. In front of her was a metallic bar, and she gripped it as hard as she could until her knuckles turn a pallid white.

Everyone was surprised to see something, however. Battleguard King's attack had hit, but instead of Yuya, it was caught on a rainbow-hued barrier.

"The Trap Card, Entermate Call, activates," Yuya huffed, pointing to his facedown card, which was now face-up. "This card negates a direct attack. Moreover, I can also add two Entermate monsters from my Deck to my hand whose combined DEF is equivalent to the ATK of the attacking monster! Battleguard King's ATK is 3000, therefore…"

Two cards popped out of Yuya's Duel Disk, and he revealed them both.

"I add Entermate Whip Viper with a DEF of 900, and Entermate Partnaga, with a DEF of 2100, to my hand!"

He placed the cards with his others, adding, "However, during my next turn, I cannot summon monsters from my Extra Deck."

"Eh?" Tatsuya looked confused. "Won't that stop him from being able to destroy that Battleguard King?"

Ayu shook her head. "Nuh-uh."

"Big bro Yuya doesn't have an Extra Deck cards," Futoshi said.

Tatsuya bewilderment increased.

Strong Ishijima cursed under his breath. "So it seems you've bought yourself one more turn." He took the last card in his hand. "I'll set one card facedown. Now, make it count."

A facedown card appeared behind Battleguard King.

Yuya brushed himself off and stood up. His back cracked when he arched it. He smiled at Strong Ishijima.

"I believe it's my turn," he chuckled, placing a hand on his deck. His expression became more serious. "Here we go…Draw!"

He drew a Trap Card, then looked at the six other cards in his hand. _Magician of Astromancy, Entermate Whip Viper, Entermate Partnaga, Magician of Chronomancy, Entermate Discover Hippo, and Odd-Eyes Dragon_ , he thought, scanning from left to right. _All monsters. However…_

Yuya took the second-leftmost card and threw it on his disk, shouting, "I summon Entermate Whip Viper!"

A fierce hissing filled the stadium as a new monster spawned. Appearing before Yuya was a three foot long violet snake sporting a black top hat, polka dot bowtie, and an orange star tattoo on its face. The underbelly of the animal was a lighter mauve coloring, leading to a tail that ended in a whip with a pink heart at the finish. The snake opened its mouth to reveal its four sharp fangs and its twisty tongue. (1700 ATK)

"Whip Viper's effect," he continued. "It can, once per turn, switch the ATK and DEF of one monster on the field. Naturally, with this effect, I target Battleguard King!"

Whip Viper's tail swung back and forth, like a hypnotizing pendulum, and its eyes widened. Suddenly, Battleguard King was covered in a visible purple aura.

"Battleguard King's ATK might be 3000," smirked Yuya, "but it's DEF is only 1100. Like this, I can overcome it!"

Strong Ishijima looked unfazed. "Is that what you think?"

"What?"

Ishijima tapped a button on his Duel Disk. "Trap, activate!" he declared. "Battleguard Howling!"

His facedown card rose, revealing a picture of a Battleguard monster roaring and sending noticeable shockwaves through the air.

"This Trap Card," explained Ishijima, "activates whenever a Warrior-Type monster under my control is targeted by an attack or an effect of an opposing monster. Since the conditions are met, you're not only dealt damage equal to that monster's ATK, but it's also returned to your hand!"

Yuya's eyes widened like Whip Viper's had. A flurry of fiery blasts shot from Ishijima's Trap Card, sending Yuya's body back ten feet. He landed flat on his back, his clothes singed from the fires. He grabbed Whip Viper's card from his Duel Disk, and it disappeared from the field.

 **(Yuya: 1100 LP/Strong Ishijima: 4000 LP)**

"A marvelous counterattack by Champion Strong Ishijima!" Nico boomed through the microphone. "He's opened his opponent's field to set up for endgame!"

"Not yet…" Yuya coughed into the dirt. He picked himself up again, shakily this time, and grabbed the non-Monster Card in his hand. "I set one card facedown. Turn end."

Ishijima didn't miss a beat. "Draw." He didn't bother to look at his card, either. He simply pointed to Yuya. "Finish it, Battleguard King."

Battleguard King once again brought its weapon down on Yuya. And once again…

"I activate my Continuous Trap Card! Entermate Pinch Helper!"

Battleguard King's weapon dropped faster and faster, and Yuya spoke as quickly as he could.

"This card, once per turn, when I'm attack directly, can negate that attack. Then, I can Special Summon an Entermate monster from my Deck, with its effect negated. Come to me, Entermate Sword Fish!"

The pompadour-sporting, sunglasses-wearing sword fish appeared, absorbing the attack effortlessly. (600 DEF)

Ishijima frowned, clearly growing impatient with Yuya's antics. He looked at his card, then set it facedown. It appeared behind Battleguard King. He looked to his left and right – looking for Action Cards, Yuya thought – but simply ended his turn.

Yuya drew his card, equally as silent, then smiled. He cleared his throat and began:

"Ladies and gentlemen! It's that time of the show. That's right, we've reached the climax already. But don't worry – we have a special guest to bring out for the big finale."

Murmurs filled the audience. "What is he talking about?"

"Who does he think he is?"

"Does he still think he can beat the Champion? Give up already, kid!"

Yuzu, annoyed with the jeers, cupped her hands to her mouth and shouted, "You can do it, Yuya! Show them the Entertainment Duel your father taught you!"

"Go, Yuya!" Gongenzaka shouted, following Yuya's lead.

Yuya nodded, as though he had heard his friend's encouragement from five feet away. His arms wide and embracing, he shouted over the spectators, "But first, we have to introduce another performer. Put your hands together for Entermate Discover Hippo!"

The magenta hippo leapt out of its card, smiling with its four square teeth. It struck a silly pose, tipping its hat like a concert pianist basking in applause. (800 ATK)

"Now, on the turn that Discover Hippo is summoned, I'm able to Tribute Summon a high-Level monster from my hand. As such, I release Discover Hippo and Sword Fish to bring out my biggest star! Advance Summon!"

The two Entermates became granules of light that coalesced into the massive form of Odd-Eyes. Red scales appeared every which way in jagged shards, nearly impaling the trees in the near vicinity. The dragon spun around, the two bodily spheres in the middle of its chest shining in the sunlight. Yuya jumped on Odd-Eyes' back, running up its scales until he reached its head, where he took it by the horns like a tamer. Its heterochromatic eyes flashed when he did this. (2500 ATK)

"Appear, rare dragon with two differently colored eyes! Odd-Eyes Dragon!"

Yuya looked up to the azure heavens. He could almost feel his father watching him now. He smiled and the words came out of his mouth:

"The fun has just begun!"

This caught Strong Ishijima's attention. "That's…"

"Yusho Sakaki's catchphrase!" Nico Smiley shouted through the microphone. "My, my! Are we in for a reversal here?"

"Don't count on it," Strong Ishijima barked. "Your Odd-Eyes Dragon only has 2500 ATK. It still falls short of my Battleguard King's 3000."

Something caught Yuya's eye in the tree to his right. An Action Card sat on the edge of the lowest branch. He steered Odd-Eyes in that direction, jumping up and grabbing the card when he was within reach. Again, Strong Ishijima looked unfazed.

"All right!" Yuya grinned, looking at the card. He turned it around. "Action Magic, Nanana, activate! This gives Odd-Eyes 700 more ATK until the End Phase!"

Odd-Eyes roared as a yellow energy coated its body. (2500 – 3200 ATK)

"Battle! I attack Battleguard King with Odd-Eyes Dragon! Spiral Flame!"

Odd-Eyes built a pit of crackling fire in its jaws, one so hot that Yuya had to wipe the excess sweat from his face. Immediately the dragon belched the fire at Strong Ishijima's monster, releasing enough flames to cover the barbaric monster from head to foot.

Ishijima, for the first time since the duel began, smiled. "Trap, activate! Battleguard Rage!"

A ring of blue flames digitalized in front of Odd-Eyes' attack, absorbing its red flames. Then the ring fell down, circling around Battleguard King's feet.

"What?" Yuya gasped.

"Battleguard Rage, when activated, equips to a Warrior-Type monster I control. That monster then gains 1000 ATK!"

The blue flames leapt up, becoming infused with the barbarian's spiked club. Blue-red embers fell to the ground, burning some of the virtualized bushes. (3000 – 4000 ATK)

"Strike back, Battleguard King!"

Sure enough, the monster deflected Odd-Eyes' attack. Then it aimed its weapon at the dragon, and a torrent of blue flame shot forth. It incinerated Odd-Eyes almost instantly, causing Yuya to fall from twelve feet up. Luckily, he landed in a shrubbery.

 **(Yuya: 300 LP/Strong Ishijima: 4000 LP)**

"Odd-Eyes…" he cried, reaching for his now-nonexistent monster. He felt compelled to pull his goggles down as he went to add Odd-Eyes to his Graveyard.

"Any monster destroyed in a battle with the monster affected by Battleguard Rage is returned to the hand instead," Strong Ishijima announced.

Yuya instead placed Odd-Eyes with his other cards, all monsters. He had summoned already. He could do no more.

"I…I end my turn."

"So this is as far as Yusho Sakaki's dueling goes," Ishijima spat. "I'm not surprised."

The You Show kids looked sullenly downward at this development. Yoko watched her son quietly, Shuzo at her side. Neither took their eyes off Yuya.

Yuya crawled out of the shrubs, laying on his hands and knees. "Dad…"

"Giving up already?" Ishijima sneered. "Then allow me to put you out of your misery."

He drew his card, his smirk widening. His eyes fell on Yuya's Trap Card.

"Starting with this." He turned a card over, showing Yuya a Spell Card. "I activate the Quick-Play Magic, Mystical Space Typhoon!"

An arid gust whipped around the field, sucking up the dirt and fallen leaves. It whipped around Yuya's hair, and even sent some of the breeze to the spectators.

"This card," Ishijima elucidated over the suction sounds, "destroys one Spell or Trap on the field. Be gone, Entermate Pinch Helper!"

Yuya's Trap Card shattered into tens of fragmented white shards.

"Each turn," said Ishijima, "Pinch Helper can negate a direct attack and give you another monster. But with this, you're truly defenseless."

Yuya looked up, moving to his knees. He stared at Ishijima for a while, watching the man's lips moving but hearing nothing. He saw Ishijima throw his head back and laughing. The motion looked cynical and distorted in his blurring vision. He could feel tears on the horizon of his eyes. But they didn't fall. Instead, Yuya had another vision of the past.

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 _ **He sat on the bridge railing, dangling his feet above the harbor. His goggles covered his puffy, red eyes.**_

" _ **When you feel like crying, laugh," said a voice from behind him.**_

 _ **Suddenly, Yuya's goggles were repositioned on his head. He looked to his left, staring into his father's eyes.**_

" _ **Let out the biggest laugh you can muster," Yusho had said.**_

 _ **He removed Yuya's blue pendant and swung it around.**_

" _ **Just like a pendulum," he had said. "The more you push, the more it'll come back. When you ever feel like crying, just laugh, and happiness and joy will return to you."**_

 _ **Yusho sat next to his son, still watching the pendant swing from side to side as the sun receded into the distance.**_

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"And now," Strong Ishijima said, "it's time that I…"

Each word he said became quieter and quieter, replaced by a different sound altogether.

"Yuya," Gongenzaka said from the stands. "He's…"

"He's laughing," Yuzu finished.

Sure enough, Yuya gave the loudest laugh he could possibly muster. He removed the goggles from his face and looked up at Strong Ishijima. In between gasps of laughter, he said, "This is the most fun duel I've ever had."

"Fun?" Strong Ishijima repeated. Once more he said the word with an unusual amount of rancor.

Slowly, Yuya pushed his hands against the earth and brought himself back to his feet. He stretched, huffing as he did so from exhaustion.

"To think that I would get the chance to clear my father's name, after all this time," Yuya said. "To think that I could get people to realize he wasn't a chicken or a coward, that he didn't run away."

His eyebrows drew together and his laughter stopped. He raised his voice. "I'm going to put an end to it all in this duel!"

"Big talk coming from someone in your situation," said Ishijima. "The fact of the matter, however, is that you can't back that up without any cards on your field."

He pointed to his monster.

"Go, Battleguard King! Attack that brat directly!"

Yuya looked at the six monster cards in his hand, all unusable. He knew he only had one chance. He had seen another Action Card when he'd been jumping through the trees, laying in the clearing twenty feet behind him. With as much energy as he could muster, Yuya turned away from Battleguard King and raced onward.

"You won't get away this time," Ishijima shouted over the sound of his monster, who took giant footsteps over to Yuya. The Action Card was within his reach.

Giving a deafening roar, Battleguard King brought its club down on Yuya's back, smashing the boy into the ground. A plume of dust wafted into the air, marking the area where Yuya had been hit.

"That settles that," Ishijima said. "In the end, Yusho Sakaki's son was…"

"Nothing's settled yet."

"What?" Ishijima looked around. "That voice." His jaw became slack as he saw Yuya leaning against a tree trunk, almost invisible in the shade of the oak. The boy's white jacket had removed.

"Action Magic, Avoid." Yuya turned the card over for the audience to see. Sure enough, when the spectators looked at the crater that Battleguard King's attack had just made, they only the boy's dust-covered Maiami Second Middle School jacket.

"Tch…" Ishijima mumbled something to himself. "However, the fact of the matter is that you still don't have any other means of protecting yourself. You're out of cards, and without only one summon per turn, there's nothing you can do to overcome my Battleguard King. Turn end."

Yuya looked at his deck, considering Ishijima's words. He wondered if his deck contained any one card to get him out of his predicament.

"Now, go on," prodded Ishijima. "Take your turn. Unless you want to turn the other way and surrender, just like your father?"

"I'll never run away from…" The words slipped out of Yuya's mouth by way of instinct. He looked at his hand, noting the six monsters in it – three of which weren't even playable without Tribute Summoning. He shook his head, unable to think of a card that would save him.

The You Show spectators were shocked to see Yuya beginning to place his hand over his deck: the telltale sign of surrender.

"Big bro Yuya!" the kids shouted.

"Yuya!" Gongenzaka and Shuzo cried.

Yuzu turned away. Only Yoko watched Yuya, watched his every move. She already knew the decision her son would come to.

"I…I…" Yuya was halfway through his sentence when he remembered his father's words.

 _Take a step forward and have courage. You can't do anything…_

"If you're frozen in fear," Yuya said under his breath. He clutched his pendant. "The more you push, the more it'll come back. Like a pendulum…"

He let the pendant go and watched it swing. A weird feeling overcame him. He felt a sudden burst of energy and determination at once.

"Swing, pendulum!" he shouted at the top of his voice, gripping his deck. His pendant whipped around violently, shining in the sunlight like the Real Solid Vision machine had done earlier. "More, and even more!"

He lifted his Duel Disk over his head and drew his card. And suddenly the world around him went black.

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OCG/Anime/Custom Cards Shown In This Chapter –

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 **Entermate Skullcrobat Joker (Pendulum Monster)**

Spellcaster/Level 4/Scale 8-8/Effect/DARK

1800 ATK/100 DEF

Pendulum Effect: You cannot Pendulum Summon monsters, except "Entermate" monsters, "Magician" Pendulum Monsters, and "Odd-Eyes" monsters. This effect cannot be negated.

Monster Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned: You can add 1 "Entermate" monster, 1 "Magician" Pendulum monster, or 1 "Odd-Eyes" monster from your Deck to your hand, except "Entermate Skullcrobat Joker."

Note: This card can be found in Structure Deck: Master of Pendulum. It is currently slated for release in Japan in June, 2015.

Note 2: For this chapter, this monster is only an Effect Monster, and thus only has its second effect.

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 **Battleguard #3 (Monster)**

Warrior/Level 3/Effect/EARTH

1000 ATK/1000 DEF

Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 "Battleguard #4" from your hand.

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 **Battleguard #4 (Monster)**

Warrior/Level 4/Effect/EARTH

1200 ATK/1200 DEF

Effect: Once per Battle Phase, when a "Battleguard" monster you control is targeted for an attack: You can negate the attack.

Note: The above two cards were first used by Gen Ankokuji in Episode 30 of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V." Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

Note 2: The Types and DEF scores of these two monsters were never shown, and thus these are only speculative.

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 **Summon Chain (Spell)**

Normal Spell/Action Card

Image: Two black silhouettes carrying a steel link chain while a bigger shadow looms in the background.

Effect: You Tribute Summon 1 Level 5 or higher monster in face-up Attack Position during your Main Phase this turn, in addition to your Normal Summon/Set.

Note: This card first appeared in this chapter.

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Author's Note: In the middle of his duel against Strong Ishijima, Yuya gains a mysterious new power, but with it comes a parade of new mysteries and questions. When this power registers on the radars of LDS, Reiji Akaba decides to take matters into his own hands. Moreover, Yuya's newfound power seems to have an adverse side-effect. What is it? Find out next time!


	3. Swing! Pendulum of Souls

**Chapter 3: Swing! Pendulum of Souls**

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The center of Maiami City was notably empty, likely because the majority of the city's residents had gathered in the town's Duel Stadium to spectate Strong Ishijima's duel against Yuya – or, if they hadn't, were watching the televised duel from their homes. The morning zephyrs swept up a lonely candy wrapper that floated through the air, passing streamlined chrome buildings and empty subway stations. Stoplights changed colors, but no cars were around to take advantage of it. A stray beagle strolled along one of the concrete sidewalks. It leapt nervously and scampered down an alleyway when a bright flash of green light abruptly appeared in the middle of the street.

The dog, feeling a surge of bravado, poked its head out of the alleyway, watching the granules of light disperse and take the form of what appeared to be a human. It watched the person step off the white motorcycle they were seated on.

"What the hell? Just what is this place?" The person – a male, the dog might have presumed from his voice – spoke, turning his head from side to side and staring at the infinite rows of sleek buildings through the visor on his motorcycle helmet. To get a better view, he removed his helmet, sticking it underneath his right arm, and placed the back of his left hand on his hip. His right elbow leaned against the gold trim etched into his motorcycle.

"Is this Commons?" he wondered. His bright blue eyes surveyed the empty streets, scanning up and down for the sign of somebody – for movement of any kind. "Oi!" he shouted, cupping his gloved hands around his mouth. "Oi! Is anyone there? Where am I?"

No response was issued. The man was only met with the whisper of the early-morning breeze that danced in his ears.

He placed a hand on the back of his neatly-kempt blue hair and scratched. His matching white jacket wrinkled at the sleeves as he brought his hand down. "Jeez," he sighed. "It really is hopeless, huh?"

He turned to his motorcycle and, resting his helmet on the seat, and clicked a few buttons on the dashboard. "Compartment: Open," said a mechanical voice, and a tiny slit in the central mainframe of the motorcycle, underneath the dashboard and above the seat, opened. A single Duel Monsters card slid out. Its borders were white. He had been holding it a few seconds before he had been found himself stranded here, but he didn't think anything of it until now.

He looked at the monster on the card's image and sighed again. "Why did you guide me to this place?"

The blue-haired male watched the shadow of his motorcycle expand and contract in the blazing sunlight. He squinted in the morning light and stood there, leaning against his bike and staring at the card. Then he shook his head in frustration.

"And just where is _this place_ , anyway?"

He kept muttering this as he replaced his helmet on his head, put the card back in its compartment, and took off down the road on his motorcycle, in the direction of the LDS Dueling Stadium. The stray beagle watched him disappear into the morning, only retreating to the alleyway when it saw the blue-haired man make a left turn.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **(Yuya: 300 LP/Strong Ishijima: 4000 LP)**

Yuya wasn't sure when, exactly, it occurred: it had happened all at once. He stood there in front of Strong Ishijima, in front of the audience, in front of the cameras that were likely broadcasting the duel to every home in Maiami City, and he saw his cards begin to glow.

He thought he heard a voice say something, a voice speaking only to him, but he couldn't quite make out the words. He could only watch as his monsters morphed into something new. And, as if by instinct, as if he wasn't in control of his own limbs or mouth, he spoke as he grabbed two of the cards from his hand, his voice cold and detached:

"I, using the Scale 1 Magician of Astromancy and the Scale 8 Magician of Chronomancy, set the Pendulum Scale."

He lifted the cards above his head, then threw them Magician of Chronomancy on the furthest leftmost spaces of his Duel Disk while Magician of Astromancy took the furthest rightmost space, just outside the Monster Zone. The word "Pendulum" appeared, capitalized and rainbow-colored, in the middle of his Duel Disk.

And then it happened.

The sky, bright and hopeful just a second before, seemed to grow black and cloudy. In the newfound darkness, two pillars of light were erected, spawning on either side of Yuya. Ascending from them were none other than the two monsters he had just placed on his Duel Disk.

On the right-hand pillar, Magician of Astromancy rose. He wore sacred white robes, complemented by a purple cape that fluttered in the wind. A limp wizard's hat hung on his head, and a matching white scarf covered the bottom portion of his face. A flowing mane of blond hair whipped around the monster's back and the nape of his neck. His outfit was ornamented with sporadic orbs of the brightest blue. He held an odd staff in one hand, which was accentuated at near its hilt by a circular frame. A large, golden "1" appeared underneath it. (Scale: 1)

Opposite it was Magician of Chronomancy. He had shaggy brown hair that was hidden underneath his black sorcerer's cap, and he wore matching black robes. Bionic golden plates wrapped around his shoulders and waist, and on his right hand was a metallic attachment that bore a golden crescent-moon fixture. He also had a scarf, red, that covered his mouth, matching the color of his clinical crimson eyes. A golden "8" formed beneath him. (Scale: 8)

The two Magician monsters flew twenty feet in the air before coming to a stop.

"W-what's going on?" Ishijima stuttered. For the first time since the duel had begun, he felt like control of the situation had eluded him.

There was a feral look in Yuya's red eyes as he continued, "With this, I can summon multiple monsters from Level Two to Level Seven simultaneously."

"What was that?" howled Ishijima.

"Swing, Pendulum of souls. Draw an arc of light across the ether."

The You Show gang watched in rapt fascination, some of their jaws hanging open in wonderment.

"Yuya, you…" Yuzu said. She thought his voice sounded a little deeper, but brushed the thought aside. "Yuya," she said again, the word no louder than a whisper.

At the top of his lungs, Yuya screamed, "Pendulum Summon! Come forth, my monster servants!"

A blue ring of light formed in the sky, appearing in between the two Magicians. It started small, then expanded into a ten-foot wide, ovular shape. The inside turned a feverish scarlet color, and three bursts of light descended – one green, one orange, and the biggest one red.

"Entermate Whip Viper."

The green pocket of light hit the ground as Yuya shouted, and Whip Viper reemerged onto the field. Its tongue shot out of its mouth and it hissed at Strong Ishijima, recalling what had previously happened to it. (1700 ATK)

"Entermate Partnaga."

The orange light brought forth a large rattlesnake whose entire body was colored in red and gold stripes. A green star tattoo covered the monster's left eye as it winked at Strong Ishijima. A white glove was located on the end of its tail, where its rattle should have been. The energetic snake hissed, wiggling its tail from the left to the right to mimic a hand wave. (500 ATK)

"And, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

Having faced it an innumerable amount of times, Yuzu and Gongenzaka noticed an immediate change in Odd-Eyes' appearance. This new incarnation had large white horns sprouting from its head, connected by a fat purple jewel. The sharp wings on its back and doubled in size as well, and those also had two green jewels and one red one attached. It chest plate had grown, too, accommodating a second set of purple orbs, and its tail had become fully covered in coarse red spikes. It roared defiantly, daring Ishijima to retaliate. (2500 ATK)

Ishijima, the You Show spectators, and the crowd – all were silent at this development. Eventually, Nico Smiley was the first one to speak.

"O-oh my! This is unlike anything I've ever witnessed!" He sounded out of breath. "Challenger Yuya Sakaki has summoned three monsters at the same time, and two of them are high-Level monsters!"

"Enough cheating!" Ishijima shouted, finally finding his voice. "You can't summon those monsters like that!"

Nico Smiley's image appeared on Ishijima's Duel Disk. "However…The system isn't detecting any errors in his summoning method. That means…" He paused, as if he wasn't sure what it meant himself. "That means the summon is valid."

"You've got to be joking," Ishijima barked. Incipient droplets of sweat ran down his face.

Yuya leapt into the air, timing his fall perfectly. He perfunctorily landed on Odd-Eyes' arched back, grabbing its horns and steering the dragon's head upward. He punched the air with his fist, and his hair stuck on end.

"When its Special Summoned, Entermate Partnaga's monster effect activates, and I target Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon with it," he said. "Now, for each Entermate monster on I control, the targeted monster will gain 300 ATK. On my field are Partnaga and Whip Viper, meaning Odd-Eyes gains 600 ATK."

Partnaga threw itself onto Odd-Eyes, wrapping around the dragon's leg. With the gloved hand on its now-outstretched tail, it grabbed Whip Viper's tail. A brown aura spread around the two Entermate monsters, and it immediately washed over Odd-Eyes. (2500 – 3100 ATK)

"Even so," Ishijima said, "due to Battleguard Rage, the ATK of my Battleguard King is 4000. Your dragon isn't strong enough to defeat my monster."

"How quickly we forget. I activate Whip Viper's monster effect to switch the current ATK and DEF scores of Battleguard King."

Ishijima's eyes widened. Sure enough, he had forgotten about Whip Viper, and now he watched as his Battleguard King adopted a position of genuflection, weakened by Yuya's tactics. (4000 – 1100 ATK)

"Damn," Ishijima groaned. "Battleguard King's ATK is…" He turned his back on his monster and quickly ran, searching for Action Cards. To his luck, he found one almost instantly, only a few feet away.

"Battle. Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, attack his Battleguard King. Unleash, my monster!"

The gems on Odd-Eyes' horn and wings started to glow with a fearsome electric energy. The crackling sent shivers down the spines of the spectators, some from excitement and others from shock. With a finalizing roar, Odd-Eyes unleashed the blast at Battleguard King.

"I won't let you," Ishijima yelled, grabbing the Action Card on the ground. "Action Magic, Miracle! This card negates one instance of monster destruction and halves the battle damage that I would take!"

"Magician of Astromancy, seal my foes with your ethereal powers. Magician of Astromancy's Pendulum effect activates. When a Pendulum Monster battles, my opponent cannot activate Spell Cards until the end of the battle. Horoscope Divination!"

Magician of Astromancy spun its staff around, and the arcane jewels on its circular frame illuminated. A shower of glowing meteorites impaled the Action Magic.

"Pendulum Monster?" Ishijima repeated incredulously. He watched his Spell Card spark and vanish. "Damn it…"

He dropped the Miracle Spell, and made an expeditious turn, catching an Action Card in the corner of his eye, perched on a tree branch. With a running start, he jumped into the air, nearly missing the Action Card, but grasping it in between his index and middle finger.

"Heh…Action Trap, Over Gravity, activate!" He slid the card in his Duel Disk, and a picture of three black silhouettes crumpling under the unseen force of gravity materialized. "This Trap will, until the end of the turn, reduce the ATK of all monsters on the field to 0!"

"Magician of Chronomancy, protect me with your ethereal powers," Yuya said, without missing a beat. "Magician of Chronomancy's Pendulum effect activates. When a Pendulum Monster battles, my opponent cannot activate Trap Cards until the end of the battle. Inverse Gearwidth!"

Magician of Chronomancy brought its bionic arm downward, and the face of a pocket watch appeared in the missing section of its half-moon attachment. The hands on the clock moved backwards, faster and faster until Ishijima's Trap Card sparked and vanished again.

"Now's the time, Odd-Eyes. Lay waste to everything your heterochromatic eyes can see. Spiral Strike…Burst!"

Odd-Eyes jumped into the air, and Yuya could feel the sun beating down on him and him only. Odd-Eyes' gathered a stream of fire in its mouth and let loose. The maelstrom of flames swirled around, aimed directly at the immobile Battleguard King. Ishijima could only watch as his monster was hit head-on.

"Damn," he cursed. He raised his voice, directing his comment at Yuya, "However, the difference between our monster's ATK scores is 2000. That won't be enough to defeat me. Furthermore, I happen to know that Entermate Partnaga's monster effect prevents monsters Level 5 and below from attacking. I can still–"

"I activate Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon's monster effect," Yuya said. "When battling an opposing monster, my opponent takes double the battle damage. Reaction Force!"

The flames, likewise, doubled in size, swallowing both Battleguard King and Ishijima. Ishijima shouted something, but the flames drowned the words out. Instead, the sound of his scream filled the stadium as his body was flung back fifteen feet, landing unceremoniously on the dirty Action Field.

 **(Yuya: 300/Strong Ishijima: 0 LP)**

A silver frame with Yuya's picture digitalized in midair, and the word "Win" was written underneath. With a quick, concomitant fanfare of music, the sign and the Action Field started to dissolve into motes of light.

"H-he did it," Gongenzaka said, breaking the seemingly eternal silence.

The three kids looked at Yuya, then at each other. Suddenly, gleeful expressions crossed their faces. They jumped up and down. "Big bro Yuya won!"

"That's the way, Yuya!" Shuzo shouted. "You showed them your hot-blooded duel! I'm still burning up even more and more!"

Yoko smiled, crossing her arms over her chest. She gave her son one last look, and while Shuzo and the other Yusho students were celebrating, she turned and left the stadium.

"Yuya…" Yuzu was speechless. Then she smiled, too. She waved her hands over her head, holding them as high as she could to get his attention. "You did it, Yuya! You defeated Strong Ishijima in your father's place!"

The crowd, too, became lively. An amalgamation of cheers, shouts, whistles, and applause came raining down on Yuya. The boy just stood there in the middle of the stadium, dazed and confused. His confusion mounted when Nico Smiley, racing past Strong Ishijima, came up to him.

"T-that was amazing!" The man was shouting unnecessarily into his golden microphone. "You defeated the current champion! And that new summoning style that you used was captivating! I couldn't take my eyes off it!" Nico Smiley pretended to weep, then laughed. "That was splendid – no, excellent – no, marvelous!"

Yuya shook his head and looked over Nico Smiley's shoulder, to the fallen Strong Ishijima. His eyes widened.

"Eh? I…I did that?" he asked, pointing to his opponent.

"Don't be modest, Yuya," Nico Smiley said, patting Yuya's shoulder. He laughed, then forced the microphone in Yuya's face. "Now, don't be so stingy. Why don't you tell your new fans about that Pendulum Summon you pulled off?"

 _What did he just say?_ Yuya furrowed his brow. Hesitantly, he asked,"Pendulum…Summon?"

In the back of his mind, Yuya was still trying to remember the words he had heard before. He was sure he had heard a voice – heard something – when he made his last draw, but he couldn't say for sure what it was.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

"High level summon energy detected!" a brunette woman behind a control desk shouted. The room was fairly dark, garnering most of its light from the myriad of computer monitors that lined the walls. "The results are coming in. The summoning method in question is…"

"Is?" said an authoritative voice from above, stemming from a gray-haired boy. Seated ten feet above the colony of workers was Reiji Akaba. He laced his fingers together, resting his chin on his fists. His purple eyes clinically scanned the monitors.

"The report says that it's..." The woman paused, unsure if the data was accurate. "Pendulum Summon!"

"Pendulum Summon?" Reiji repeated, putting a fair amount of space between each word. He sat up straight, pushing his fallen glasses up the bridge of his nose. He looked at the screen, staring at the word "Pendulum" that had popped up. "Where did this come from?"

The woman pressed a hand against the headphones she was wearing. "We're getting word that it came from the LDS Dueling Stadium. Apparently someone by the name of Yuya Sakaki performed this summon."

"Yuya...Sakaki," Reiji took a moment to think. His dark eyes reflected his stern contemplation. Then he said, "Nakajima."

A burly man in a two piece suit stepped up from the shadows behind Reiji. He wore blue-framed sunglasses with gold trim, even indoors, and his face was twisted into a perpetual scowl.

"President?"

"Find me everything you can about Yuya Sakaki. His personal life, his dueling record, which Duel School he attends. No issue is too trivial, nothing is too inconsequential."

"Yes, sir." Nakajima pulled out a rectangular tablet-like device, clicking a few buttons on the screen. His fingers danced around the keys as he inserted the necessary information. Reiji sat there, still staring at the word on the monitor screen.

"Yuya Sakaki," Nakajima recited, rattling off the information. "Fourteen years old, specializes in Entertainment Dueling, a student at Maiami Second Middle School. He attends the Duel School known as 'You Show.' Here are his duel records."

The monitors were suddenly replaced with images of Yuya, and the largest one, in the middle of the sea of computer screens, showed a laundry list of the boy's current duels. At once, Reiji noted the disproportionate amount of losses that marred the dueling record.

"A roughly 50 percent win rate," he said. He folded his hands together again and leaned forward. "I see."

"One more thing," Nakajima said, pulling up another image. This time, the dueling record was superimposed with an image of Yuya with his dad. "His father is Yusho Sakaki."

"Yusho Sakaki," Reiji said under his breath. "The legendary star duelist and Action Duel pioneer who disappeared three years ago." Reiji had known him all too well. "Yusho Sakaki…Yuya Sakaki…"

Nakajima clicked a few more buttons and the images disappeared entirely. The word "Pendulum" reappeared in flashing red lights.

Reiji closed his eyes and thought. Without warning, he stood, then turned his back on the monitors. "Continue your investigation, Nakajima. I want to know everything there is about this Pendulum Summon."

"Yes, sir."

Reiji walked forward, his long scarf flowing, and opened the wide, mahogany double doors. He had a letter to write.

As he walked out, a young boy in a turquoise hoodie watched him from the corner of the room. He held a tan a purple teddy bear in his left hand. He looked at Reiji's determined face, at the meditation behind his eyes. As Reiji left the room, slamming the wooden doors behind him, and as the Nakajima and the other workers continued their frantic typing, the boy closed his eyes, took the teddy bear in both hands and clutched it tighter.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Sitting on his bed, Yuya was still surprised that he had managed to avoid the majority of the reporters that had harassed him when he left the LSD stadium yesterday morning. He tried playing back the duel in his mind: He had just narrowly avoided Battleguard King's attack with his Action Card; Ishijima had said something; he remembered letting out the loudest laugh he could muster and clutching his pendant; he went to draw his card.

Yuya placed a hand on the side of his head. _Remember, remember_ , he urged himself, to no avail. The next memory he had was of Strong Ishijima on the ground, just before the Action Field and the monsters faded into illusions.

"No, it's no use," he sighed, slamming the back of his against his pillow. "I can't remember anything." The corner of his eye fell to his nightstand, where his deck sat. He sat up against the headboard of his bed and grabbed the stack of cards, turning them over. Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon sat on the bottom of the pile, facing him.

"Pendulum Cards," he muttered. He turned the deck over. "Why was I given these?"

"Yuya!" Yoko's voice trailed from the living room. "Come down. Yuzu's here!"

Shrugging off his thoughts, he put the stack of cards in his short's pocket, and called back, "Coming, Mom!"

He left his room, slid down the metallic pole that lead to the living room, and waved at Yuzu as his feet connected with the hardwood floor.

"Oi, Yuzu," he said. He stepped over En, his small Welsh corgi and one of the many dogs in the house, and made his way over to the pink-haired girl. "What's up?"

"Good morning, Yuya," Yuzu said. "Actually, I'm here because my dad wanted us to meet up at You Show. Gongenzaka and the others are going to be there, too."

"Eh?" Yuya made a face. "School on a Sunday?"

Yuzu suppressed the desire to roll her eyes. "It's important, he said. There was something waiting at the door when he got there, and he told me it was addressed to you."

"To me?" Yuya repeated, pointing at his face. Yuzu nodded. Yuya looked from Yuzu to his mother, as though the two were sharing a secret he didn't know about.

"Don't let me keep you, Yuya," Yoko said, retreating to her bedroom. "Run along with Yuzu."

Yuya stifled a groan, and within seconds he was out the door.

Yuzu lead the way to You Show. The first half of their trip was made in silence, with only the honking of passing car horns, the chirping of birds balanced on streetlamps, and the gentle whipping of wind, which seemed to have carried over from the previous day. Yuya was thankful for the relative degree of silence; it helped him better process his thoughts. Traversing the city sidewalks, he was still lost in a whirlwind of thought when Yuzu spoke.

"What was that? Yesterday, I mean."

Yuya flinched a little at her question. He hadn't expected her to say anything, let alone question him about something he still had no clear recollection of.

"That Pendulum Summon," Yuzu added after a couple seconds, wondering if Yuya had understand her initial query.

Yuya shook his head. "I really don't know," he said. "It's like I told the reporters – it just happened."

Yuzu frowned. "You mean you just happened to have those cards, and happened to summon those monsters like that by chance?"

"I know it sounds weird," Yuya said, "but you've seen my deck, Yuzu. I didn't have those cards before. And whatever it was, it affected everything – I checked the minute I got him. Cards in my hand, in my Deck, in my Graveyard. About half of them became Pendulum Cards. I don't know what happened, or how, but…"

"I believe you, Yuya," Yuzu said, her expression softening. "I don't understand it myself, but I'll always believe what you say."

Somehow this didn't make Yuya feel too reassured, but he thanked her anyway.

"You don't think that's what your dad wanted us to come to the school for, do you?"

Yuzu shook her head again. "I told you already, he has something to give to you. I don't think he'd bother us with something that trivial when we're just going to go there tomorrow."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," said Yuya. He turned to his right to look his childhood friend. "Hey, Yuzu…"

He stopped midsentence as he took a step in the street, quickly jerking his body back to the sidewalk. Yuzu stopped on a dime, teetering on the edge of the sidewalk curb and nearly falling into the street as a white motorcycle whizzed past them, running a red stoplight. Without warning, Yuya was nearly blinded as a dangerously-bright flash of pink light, stemming from the right of him, filled his eyes. Yuzu, who had shut her eyes and held her breath, had missed the light. When the sound of the motorcycle vanished, she opened her eyes.

"Hey!" she shouted, despite knowing the futility of the action. She shook her fist, and her bracelet jangled on her wrist. "That was dangerous! Watch out next time!"

But the biker was already gone. There was no trace that he had ever been there.

She stopped shouting as she noticed Yuya fall to his knees, doubled over in pain. He was clutching his chest, breathing heavily while doing so.

"Yuya!" Yuzu cried, dropping to her knees. She placed a hand on the boy's back comfortingly. "Yuya! Yuya, are you alright? What's wrong?"

Through deep breaths, Yuya groaned, "It feels like my chest is on fire." He, too, looked in the direction of the motorcycle, but saw nothing. He took a few more breaths, slowly regaining his balance. His breathing became regular once more, and with Yuzu's help he stood up.

"Yuya."

"I'm all right," he said, waving her concern aside. He adopted a broken smile. "I feel better now, really." It was true, surprisingly. Whatever shockwave of pain he had been feeling had already disappeared, almost as quickly as the white motorcycle had vanished from view.

"Are you sure?" Yuzu asked, and he nodded. She was still concerned, but she tried not to let it manifest. Yuya nodded again for emphasis. "All right," she said hesitantly, and the two continued onward to You Show.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Yuya knocked on the door. Gingerly opening it, he poked his head inside the cramped classroom. "You wanted to see me, Principal?"

Shuzo stood at the front of the class. Ayu, Futoshi, and Tatsuya sat in the front row of seats, as though they were actually paying attention to a lecture. Gongenzaka stood in the corner of the small room, arms folded over his chest. They all turned when they heard Yuya's voice, and he entered the room, Yuzu following closely.

"That's right, Yuya," Shuzo said. He took a small envelope from the overhead projector in the front of the room, walked over, and placed it in Yuya's hands. "This came for you. For some reason, whoever delivered it left it here."

Yuya took the envelope, looking it up and down. His name was printed in neat, almost-calligraphic writing. He noticed the golden letters on the printed return address, the same as the one on the stamp: LDS. He turned the envelope over but there was nothing on the back. He flipped it again, staring intently at the LDS mark.

"LDS," he mumbled.

"Eh?" Futoshi was the first to speak. "As in Leo Duel School?"

"What does it say?" Tatsuya asked.

Yuya felt a lump forming in his throat. He wondered if it was something bad, something he had done wrong the other day in his duel against Strong Ishijima. He still couldn't remember just what had happened in the last turn of the duel. Still, he slid a finger under the flap and ripped the envelope open, retrieving the letter inside. His eyes enlarged as he read the words and his face blanched.

Yuzu took a step closer. "Yuya?"

"What is it?" Gongenzaka wondered.

Yuya looked up, past Shuzo, Ayu, Futoshi, and Tatsuya. He seemed to stare into space, not looking at anything at all.

"It's from Reiji Akaba."

The room instantly fell silent. No one dared to move. No one dared to breathe too loudly. Shuzo opened his mouth to say something. He closed it.

Yuya looked at the faces watching him. His vocal cords finally made their way back to his throat. "He…he challenged me to a duel, this Saturday."

The three You Show kids looked at each other, visibly nervous. Yuzu and Gongenzaka snuck furtive glances. Shuzo seemed lost in thought.

Yuya placed the letter on a desk, taking a seat in one of the chairs. It squeaked when he pulled it out. _Reiji…Akaba_ , he thought. He thought of a few days back, when he had dueled against Reiji in his dream. It had always been a hope of his, and now, right before his eyes, it seemed it was coming true.

"What're you going to do?" Yuzu whispered. In the silence of the room, her voice sounded like a shout.

Yuya removed his deck from his pocket and turned it over, looking at Odd-Eyes' card. His eyes lifted up, meeting Gongenzaka's.

"Gongenzaka, can you help me with something?"

Gongenzaka nodded. "It would be unforgivable for me, the manly Gongenzaka, to abandon you in your time of need." He beat a fist against his chest. "What did you want me to help you with?"

"Duel me."

Gongenzaka looked taken aback, as did the other You Show students, at the forcefulness and resolution in Yuya's voice.

"I don't know how I did it before, or why I got these Pendulum Cards," he said, "but if I'm going to duel Reiji Akaba, I'll need to know how they work."

"Wait a minute," Yuzu interrupted. The silver bracelet around her arm jingled as she tenderly touched Yuya's shoulder. "You can't possibly be thinking of going through with that proposition. He's a champion level duelist, Yuya."

Yuya frowned at the words, looking back at his deck. He shook his head, determined to prove himself. "Will you help me, Gongenzaka?" He looked into his friend's eyes with a certain fire that was inextinguishable.

Gongenzaka made a stuttering noise, looking from Yuzu to Shuzo to Yuya. Truthfully, he was having thoughts similar to Yuzu's. He rubbed his knuckles with one hand.

"Please, Gongenzaka."

Gongenzaka was silent for a while. Yuya was close to retracting his request when his friend said, "Alright, Yuya. I support you in your duel against Reiji Akaba. I'll help you."

Yuya smiled wide. "Thanks, Gongenzaka. You're a good friend."

He stood and made his way to the dueling area, Gongenzaka and the others marching after him. Yuzu remained in the room a little longer. She looked at the LDS letter on the table and her fingers lightly grazed the spot on the envelope where Yuya's name had been written. Then she, too, left the room.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Five minutes later, Gongenzaka and Yuya stood in the middle of You Show's duel room. Shuzo sat in the control panel. Yuzu and the three younger kids sat in the waiting room, watching the two from behind the one-way mirror.

Yuya looked at his deck, then placed it in his Duel Disk.

"Ready, Gongenzaka?"

"Yes. Let's go, Yuya!"

"Right." Yuya nodded. "We're ready, Principal," he shouted.

Shuzo, clinging to the new Real-Solid Vision machine that Nico Smiley had brought over a couple hours after Strong Ishijima's defeat, forced himself off the machine. He took nearly two whole minutes just looking through the array of new Action Fields that were available, but in the end, he settled on the tried-and-true.

"Action Field, on! Plain Plane, activate!"

Tatsuya vividly remembered this Action Field. He watched the room transform into the serene, grassy meadow, with the bushes and trees intermittently resting in the backdrop. The pond water was crisp and vivid, unlike the murky blue it had been before. In fact, everything seemed crisper and clearer. Even the air seemed to have a richer quality to it.

"Duelists locked in battle!" Gongenzaka chanted.

"Kicking against the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters!" Yuya continued. "They storm through this field!"

He and Gongenzaka said together, "Behold! This is the newest and greatest evolution of Dueling!"

"Action…" Futoshi, Ayu, and Tatsuya said.

"Duel!" Yuya and Gongenzaka shouted.

The sphere of glowing Action Cards in the sky broke apart, scattering the field with them.

Yuzu watched the two silently, rubbing her left arm with her right hand.

 **(Yuya: 4000 LP/Gongenzaka: 4000 LP)**

"The first move is mine, Gongenzaka," Yuya declared. He looked down at the five cards in his hand: Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, Entermate Sword Fish, Entermate Discover Hippo, Entermate Whip Viper, and Entermate Call.

 _Four monsters,_ Yuya thought sullenly, _and only of them is a Pendulum…Guess I'll have to be patient._

He took one of the monsters in his hand.

"I summon Entermate Whip Viper!"

Forming before Yuya was the violet viper in the black top hat and polka dot bowtie. The snake hissed, its long tongue and its tail bending left and right to the flow of the wind. (1700 ATK)

"I'll also place one card facedown. Turn end."

The Trap Card appeared facedown behind Whip Viper.

Gongenzaka looked at the monster, then at Yuya. Because Yuya was his best friend, he knew that he would be intent on dueling against Reiji. That was why Gongenzaka had vowed that he would show Yuya no clemency in this duel. "My turn," he said. "Draw!"

He drew his card with a force great enough to create a gust that made even the virtual grass sway.

"I summon Superheavy Samurai Flutist."

A figurine materialized before Gongenzaka. It was made of blocky purple metal, and sleek bronze pipes jutted from the back of its waist and legs. On its head was a brown helmet in the shape of a beehive. It had a metallic mask in the front that resembled a wiry cage. It held a bamboo flute in both hands, playing rich melodies. (500 ATK)

"Superheavy Samurai Flutist's monster effect," Gongenzaka explained. "By releasing this monster, I can Special Summon one Superheavy Samurai from my hand. I release Superheavy Samurai Flutist now."

The monster in question vanished in speckles of light.

"Immovable like the mountains, I will show you the true strength of my Steadfast Dueling. Special Summon! Come forth! Level 8, Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei!"

A hoop of white light pooled on the ground. Slowly rising from it was a massive, ten-foot tall warlord. It was clad in orange chunks of armor, and two metal apparatuses hung from its back. It had a rope hanging around its waist to keep the apparatuses from falling, and it stomped its sandaled feet on the ground. Two speedometers were built into its bulky chest – for what, exactly, was anyone's guess. Its red eyes flashed, and it fixed its gaze on Yuya, twirling its weapon of choice, a long staff that ended with a serrated tuning fork, and striking a pose. (3500 DEF)

"A level 8 monster on his first turn," Ayu said.

"As expected of Gongenzaka," said Futoshi, his body tingling. "Even if he's from the rival dueling school, I'm still getting shivers!"

"Steadfast Dueling?" Tatsuya parroted. His eyebrow raised in confusion.

"It's Gongenzaka's special dueling style," Yuzu told him. She pointed forward, at the black-haired duelist. "Just watch."

"Then, I activate the effect of the Superheavy Samurai Soulshield Wall," said Gongenzaka, turning a card over. "This monster can, from my hand, equip itself to a Superheavy Samurai monster that I control. Naturally, I'll equip it to Big Benkei!"

A green, rectangular object appeared to Big Benkei's left. Futoshi made the comment that it looked like a cheese grater, which Ayu and Tatsuya responded to with nods. The monster had gold spikes running down it and silver structures on its side shaped like teeth. It shot blue rocket beams out of its bottom side, guiding itself to Big Benkei's left arm. (3500 – 4700 DEF)

"Soulshield Wall gives the monster that it's equipped to 1200 more DEF," Gongenzaka clarified.

"But it's still in Defense Position," Futoshi whined. No matter how many times he had seen Gongenzaka duel, he still hadn't committed Big Benkei's effect to memory. "He can't do anything with that."

Yuya knew that this was untrue. "I activate Whip Viper's monster effect," he said. "Once per turn, during the Main Phase, this card can switch the ATK and DEF of a monster. I target Big Benkei, whose ATK is a mere 1000!"

Whip Viper's eyes widened, and a wave of energy shot at Big Benkei.

"Such tactics won't work on me, Yuya!" Gongenzaka shouted. "I activate the effect of the Superheavy Samurai Flutist in my Graveyard!"

"Your Graveyard?" Yuya gasped.

"This card," said Gongenzaka, retrieving the card from his discard slot, "when a Superheavy Samurai is targeted by an effect, can be banished from my Graveyard to negate that effect. Moreover, the card whose effect is negated is also destroyed!"

Gongenzaka pocketed the card, and without warning, Whip Viper burst into smithereens.

"Tch…" Yuya winced at the sight.

"Battle Phase!" Gongenzaka proceeded. "I attack Yuya directly with Big Benkei!"

"But Big Benkei is in Defense Position," Tatsuya cried.

"Big Benkei grants all Superheavy Samurai monsters the power to attack while in Defense Position," Gongenzaka smirked. "And when doing so, they use their DEF scores as their ATK!"

"Big Benkei's DEF is 4700," Tatsuya gulped, "meaning…"

"Big bro Yuya!" Ayu and Futoshi shouted.

Big Benkei lifted its massive fist – the one with Soulshield Wall attached – and brought it down on the ground. The grassland quaked and fissured, breaking apart and allowing a sea of roaring flames to rise. It rushed forward, threatening to burn Yuya.

"Trap, activate!" shouted the Entertainment Duelist. "Entermate Call!"

The same rainbow barrier that had protected Yuya from Strong Ishijima's attack appeared now.

"This card negates a direct attack against me, then allows me to search for up to two Entermate monsters with a combined DEF equal to or less than your attacking monster's ATK."

"That means he can search almost anything!" Futoshi shouted. "Big Benkei's DEF is equal to its ATK!"

Yuzu shook her head. "No, that's only for the Damage Step. Any other time, including now, Big Benkei still retains its 1000 ATK."

Futoshi's expression soured and he blushed for making the comment.

Two cards shot from Yuya's deck slot, and he grabbed both, revealing two newly-transformed Pendulum Monsters to Gongenzaka. "I add to my hand Entermate Skullcrobat Joker, with a DEF of 100, and Entermate Silver Claw, with a DEF of 700."

Gongenzaka looked at the three cards in his hand – all monsters. "I end my turn," he said.

"My turn, then. Draw!"

Yuya drew a card but didn't bother to look at it. Instead, he looked at the three Pendulum Cards in his hand.

 _Entermate Silver Claw, Entermate Skullcrobat Joker, and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon…_ He tried desperately to remember the events of the previous day. Suddenly, he had a paroxysm of remembrance – he could hear the words, only for a few seconds:

" _ **I, using the Scale 1 Magician of Astromancy and the Scale 8 Magician of Chronomancy, set the Pendulum Scale."**_

"That's right!" Yuya smacked his empty left hand with his right fist. "That's how I did it. So all I need to do is…"

He grabbed two of the Pendulum Cards. He was scared he would forget the words, so he moved as quickly as he could.

"I, using the Scale 4 Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and the Scale 5 Entermate Silver Claw, set the Pendulum Scale!"

Yuya placed the monsters on the furthest sides on his Duel Disk by instinct, Odd-Eyes on the right and Silver Claw on the left, and much to his surprise and elation, the word "Pendulum" appeared in rainbow lettering.

Two pillars of light formed on either side of him. The right pillar bore the heterochromatic dragon. (Scale: 4) The left pillar had the eastern wolf with the mats of blue fur. (Scale: 5)

"Yosh," Yuya grinned. "I did it! Now, with these two cards in play, I can Special Summon as many monsters as I want from my hand simultaneously!"

He held the three monsters in his hand above his head. The words came out naturally.

"Swing, Pendulum of souls! Draw an arc of light across the ether! Pendulum Summon! Come forth, my loyal monsters!"

He slammed the three monsters on his Duel Disk.

"Entermate Skullcrobat Joker, Entermate Sword Fish, and Entermate Discover Hippo!"

Everyone stared at Yuya in fascination and wonderment, waiting for the big, grand moment.

Nothing happened.

At once, Yuya's Duel Disk made a buzzing noise, and the word "Error" appeared on his screen.

"E…eh?" He tapped his Duel Disk with a finger, wondering if it was broken. "Hello?" he said to it. Then he started to panic. "Skullcrobat Joker? Sword Fish? Come on, guys! Discover Hippo? Hello? Anyone?"

He picked up the cards and placed them down together again, only to get "Error."

"I don't get it," he muttered to himself. "Why isn't it working like it did yesterday?" He scratched his head. "Maybe I did it wrong…"

"Yuya…" Yuzu mumbled.

Yuya finally looked the card he had just drawn, and he had an idea. _If that combination didn't do anything…Maybe this can still work!_

He took the three monsters from his Duel Disk, and grabbed his new one.

"I summon Entermate Trampolynx!"

A column of green light emerged, and a monster jumped from it, landing safely on its paws. Standing before the boy was a purple lynx with a body covered in red slash markings. It looked up, smiling underneath its wall of white whiskers. The lynx mewed and arched its back, displaying a giant red-lined trampoline in lieu of back fur. It blinked its jade eyes and the paw tattoo imprinted on its forehead moved in tandem. (300 ATK)

"Entermate Trampolynx's monster effect activates," Yuya said. "When it's Normal Summoned, I can return to the hand one card in the Pendulum Zone."

The second pillar of light disappeared as Yuya retrieved Entermate Silver Claw from his disk.

"Now, I, using the already Set Scale 4 Odd-Eyes and the Scale 8 Skullcrobat Joker, re-set the Pendulum Scale!"

The pillar of light reformed, and in Silver Claw's place was the smiling, blond acrobat. (Scale: 8)

"Now it's time!" Yuya shouted. "Pendulum Summon! Siler Claw, Sword Fish, Discover Hippo!"

He placed the three cards on his Duel Disk again, only to get hit with another "Error" buzz.

Yuya heard the three You Show kids murmur to each other. He heard Gongenzaka's breathing stiffen. He felt his cheeks flushed with color.

Suddenly, he had another thought. _When I did it against Strong Ishijima, I was in a bind. Right now, Gongenzaka and I are at the same amount of Life Points. If he attacks my Trampolynx next turn with his Big Benkei, I'll lose the duel._ He grinned. _That's the perfect time for a Pendulum Summon. It's so obvious!_

He scooped up the three monsters he'd failed to Pendulum Summon, then smiled at Gongenzaka. "Turn end! Come at me, Gongenzaka!"

Gongenzaka stood there for a few seconds. When he saw Yuya's smile continue with no sign of faltering, he hesitantly made his draw.

"Battle!" he eventually said. "Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei, attack Entermate Trampolynx!"

Once again, the enormous warlord punched the grassy earth, causing a stream of flames to rise up from underground. The cat shrank back hopelessly; it had no choice but to endure the oncoming attack.

"Yosh, the conditions are finally met!" Yuya shouted, throwing his hand up. "Pendulum Summon! Come forth, my loyal monsters!"

The "Error" sign appeared as soon as Yuya played the first monster. The next thing he knew, Entermate Trampolynx had vanished and he was face-down on the grass, which quickly disappeared, giving way to the cold floor of the duel room. He heard, but didn't see, the musical fanfare from the virtual screen that declared Gongenzaka as the winner.

 **(Yuya: 0 LP/Gongenzaka: 4000 LP)**

Yuya heard the clanking of Gongenzaka's wooden sandals on the floor. He looked up and saw Gongenzaka looming over him, his expression reticent and unreadable.

"Gongenzaka…"

Gongenzaka said nothing. He crouched down and offered Yuya a hand. Yuya took it, slowly bounding to his feet.

"I don't know what happened," Yuya continued. "It worked yesterday, against that Strong Ishijima. So why…why didn't it work now?" He had the sudden urge to pull his goggles over his face.

"Big bro Yuya…" Tatsuya, Ayu, and Futoshi said, watching Yuya's countenance darken.

"How am I going to beat Reiji Akaba if I don't even know how to Pendulum Summon? How can I–"

"I'll be your opponent again," Gongenzaka finally said, causing Yuya to look up at him. "As many times as you'd like. As many times as it takes to learn Pendulum Summoning. I, the manly Gongenzaka, will stay firm and resolute, and I won't leave until you're satisfied, Yuya."

"Gongenzaka…" Yuya stared at his friend.

"If you're going to beat Reiji Akaba, you're going to need all the practice you can get. As my best friend, I will help you in any way that I can."

"Thank you, Gongenzaka." Yuya clutched his blue pendant. "For everything, I mean," he added.

He grabbed his card, placed them in his deck holster, and hit the auto-shuffle button. As he was getting ready to duel Gongenzaka again, he heard the door to the duel room open.

"I'll be your opponent this time."

He turned to the source of the declaration: Yuzu.

"Yuzu, you…"

"Do you mind if I take this one, Gongenzaka?" she asked.

Gongenzaka nodded, switching places with Yuzu. He stood in the waiting room, watching Yuzu fix her pink Duel Disk to her wrist.

"Well, what are you waiting around for, Yuya?" she said, smirking playfully. "Are we going to just stand here or are we going to duel? If you're going to duel against Reiji Akaba, then you'd better get your act together. There's only so much time until Saturday comes, after all."

"Yuzu…" Yuya bowed his head, concealing his smile. Then he looked at her, unable to hide his grin. "Right. Here I come, Yuzu!"

"Bring it on, Yuya!"

Yuzu and Gongenzaka alternated each duel – all fifty-seven of which Yuya had lost. They stayed this way until the afternoon sun started to set.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

"Oh, Standard?" The blue-haired boy smiled. He looked around the dark control room, took a small lollipop out of his pocket and popped it in his mouth. "I've always wanted to go."

"This isn't a leisurely visitation – see to it that you're aware of that fact now. You know what your objective is."

"Yes, sir." The boy removed the lollipop from his mouth. "I am to capture her and bring her back here," reciting the words as though he were an actor. He stared up at the man on the purple throne, seated at the top of the staircase in front of him.

"That's correct," the man said. The remarkably-noticeable veins on his balding pate pulsated. "She has escaped one too many times. I will not allow it any longer."

"Understood." The boy offered a mock salute, lollipop positioned above his right eye. He smiled at his own gesture. "Umm…by the way, can you show me what the girl looks like one more time?"

The man made a lithe hand movement, and a hologram appeared. It was of a girl, roughly fourteen, wearing a red jacket and skirt, brown boots, and a sour visage. The blue-haired boy's eyes were immediately drawn to the bracelet that hung on the girl's thin wrist.

"It is imperative that you bring Serena back to this world at all costs," the man said, his voice forceful and imposing. His cold, steely gray eyes moved to the hologram of the girl. "Is that understood?"

 _I know that much_ , the boy thought. He found himself dangerously close to rolling his eyes at the statement, but willed himself to keep his composure.

"Understood," the boy repeated.

"If she tries to resist coming with you, I give you the authority to engage her in a duel. That goes for anyone that's seen assisting her. Don't let anyone stand in the way of your mission, civilians or otherwise."

"Understood."

The man flicked his wrist, the golden epaulets on his purple suit rising and falling synchronously, and the digital image of the girl – Serena – disappeared. "You're free to go," he said. "There is a dimensional transporter waiting in your sleeping quarters."

"Right. Thank you, sir." The boy placed the lollipop back in his mouth and turned to leave, but as he opened the door, just before he left the room, he swore he heard the bald man say, "Don't disappoint me, Sora."

 **0-0-0-0-0**

OCG/Anime/Custom Cards Shown In This Chapter –

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Over Gravity (Trap)**

Normal Trap/Action Card

Image: Three black silhouettes falling to the ground as an unseen force of gravity bears down upon them.

Effect: The ATK of all face-up monsters currently on the field becomes 0, until the End Phase.

Note: This card first appeared in this chapter.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Author's Note: The mysterious Sora is transported to Maiami City to search for Serena. Yuzu, mistakenly accused by Sora of being someone else, is caught in the crossfires when she is confronted by him. However, an unlikely stranger appears to protect her from Sora's relentless tactics. Just who is this person? Find out next time!

By the way: Thanks all the new readers and reviewers; the great support and feedback is much appreciated. And yes, I have watched the dub, and let's just say that I'm going to stick to the original version.


	4. Clash! Fusion vs

**Chapter 4: Clash! Fusion Vs…**

 **0-0-0-0-0**

It was the following day, Monday. Outside, the afternoon's cloudy orange skies were capitulating to the evening. Gentle waves somersaulted on the harbor water, occasionally clipping the wings of the passing seagulls with seawater spray. On the streets people were walking their dogs under the premature lights of streetlamps, birds were offering final chirps and twitters, and light breezes tousled hairdos and windbreakers.

"It's so pretty!" The blue-haired boy – Sora – giggled as he said these words. He looked all around like a kid in a candy store as he traversed the city sidewalks. He thought that with the lurid orange sky and the smiling pedestrians, Maiami City could easily have been the backdrop for a "Wish You Were Here" postcard. Wonderment filled his vision everywhere he turned, whether it was found in the mountainous skyscraper structures or the darting movements of the squirrels in the park.

He had never seen anything this enchanting before; where he came from there was nothing remotely close to it.

"So this is what Standard is like," he said breathlessly. He had only arrived ten minutes ago, and already he had all but forgotten his mission entirely, losing himself in the maelstrom of excitement.

It was weird. He had always imagined he would visit Synchro before Standard, but he couldn't complain. Aside from his home, he had only ever been one other city and, needless to say, it was a lot less attractive than Maiami City. At least, now it was, anyway.

The boy reached into the right pocket of his cargo shorts, fishing for something. Retrieving a large lollipop with pink and white swirls, he summarily unwrapped it, dropped the plastic packing on the sidewalk and took a lick.

It wasn't until five minutes later, when the lollipop was nothing more than a long white stick, that he stopped walking. He looked around for a sign of familiarity, momentarily forgetting the futility of the action. He only found a row of sleek buildings and an overflowing garbage can, which he threw the lollipop stub into. He sighed, leaning on the garbage can, closing his eyes and throwing his hands behind his head. He contemplated having another lollipop.

 _Don't disappoint me, Sora._

The words echoed in his mind like ceaseless waterfalls. He still didn't know what would happen to Serena once he found her and brought her back – if he found her at all; with all the city's twists and turns he was beginning to doubt his luck. She could be anywhere by now.

 _Well, whatever happens to her isn't my problem_ , he figured, but there was still an unshakable curiosity within him.

He was still thinking about those four words when he opened his eyes. Then he looked up and saw it.

Standing there before him was an enormous building, double the size of the ones he had seen in the past half-hour, in the shape of an hourglass. Windows ran up the entirety of the building like a tiered cake, and Sora could clearly see people wearing Duel Disks in the few he bothered to inspect. The letters "LDS" were scrawled in fancy gold across the very top of the building, and to the left of it was another word: "Leo."

"LDS? Wait, Leo?" Sora said, wide-eyed as he made the connection. "Does that mean…"

He heard a voice to his right and turned, crouching slightly to adopt an attack stance. He exhaled and relaxed his body when he noticed it was only a digital talking billboard affixed to one of the neighboring buildings. He wondered how he hadn't heard it before now; it was obnoxiously loud.

On the promotional billboard was a man with spiky purple hair that Sora had never seen – Strong Ishijima.

"Brush up on your dueling skills at LDS," said Ishijima. A flurry of rare cards scattered across the screen behind him, and Ishijima made a fist. "If you're looking to go pro, come to the Leo Duel School, managed directly by the Leo Corporation, now specializing in Fusion…"

This was all Sora needed to hear. He looked back to one of the windows, hoping for a confirmation of his suspicions. He saw a raven-haired girl behind one of the glass squares, and he recognized the Duel Monster she had just summoned: Gem-Knight Topaz. A Fusion Monster.

Leo Duel School. The words manifested in the back of his mind. _Leo…_ It was enough of a lead for him, for now. He would just have to hope she would be here. He rushed for the entrance of the building, throwing open the double doors and running inside before Ishijima could finish his sentence with the word "Xyz."

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Inside, Yuya stood on the grassy Plain Plane Action Field in the You Show dueling room, opposite his opponent, Yuzu. Shuzo sat in the control room above the field, half-observing the development of the duel and half-fondling the new Real Solid Vision machine. Gongenzaka, Ayu, Futoshi, and Tatsuya watched their friends from the comfort of the spectator's area. So far the duel had been a pretty even display of push and pull, they'd agreed.

 **(Yuya: 700 LP/Yuzu: 1000 LP)**

 _This time for sure,_ Yuya thought to himself, recalling his duels from the previous day. He looked at his empty field, then at Yuzu's sole monster, Mozarta the Melodious Maestra, and the sole facedown card behind it, and finally at the five cards in his hand. He nodded to himself, grabbing two of them. _Now that I've drawn this card, I'll definitely do it this time!_

"I, using the Scale 1 Magician of Astromancy and the Scale 8 Magician of Chronomancy, set the Pendulum Scale!"

He placed the two cards on the furthest sides of his Duel Disk, Chronomancy on the left and Astromancy on the right, and the word "Pendulum" appeared in the middle of the device in rainbow colors. The blond wizard in the white robes and purple cape (Scale: 1) and the crimson-eyed sorcerer with the red scarf and dark robes (Scale: 8) appeared in the glowing pillars of light that flanked Yuya.

"Yosh." Yuya nodded again. "Like this, I can summon multiple monsters from Level Two to Level Seven from my hand simultaneously!"

He took the final three cards in his hand and held them above his head.

"Swing, Pendulum of Souls! Draw an arc of light across the ether!"

He threw the cards on his Duel Disk. Three comets of light – orange, green, and red – shot down from the pendulum fissure in the sky.

"Pendulum Summon! Come forth, my loyal monsters! Entermate Whip Viper, Entermate Partnaga, and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

The violet viper in the polka dot bow tie was the first to appear. It hissed and flicked its tongue. (1700 ATK)

Next was the coiling, gold-and-red striped snake. It hissed, its long tongue slithering out of its mouth whilst it did so, and the gloved hand on the end of its tail waved to Yuzu. (500 ATK)

The heterochromatic dragon came last, its white horns shining in the Action Field's artificial sunlight. The monster spun around, making a show of its entrance for the sake of the spectators, and roared defiantly at the blue sky. (2500 ATK)

Yuya felt a satisfied smile cross his lips as he heard the three children cheering from the spectator's room. He heard Gongenzaka's distant voice congratulating him but he couldn't make out the words. His own internal voice rang out louder than all the praise.

 _I did it…Dad, I did it!_

Yuzu remained stone-faced, looking from the newly-summoned monsters, to the Pendulum Magicians, to Yuya.

Yuya's smile widened. There was no stopping him now.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" he shouted, lifting his hands to the sky. "Allow me to show you a duel reversal unlike any you've ever seen before. Don't turn away, not even for one second, or you just might miss this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle! And it starts with my assistant, Entermate Partnaga!"

He pointed to the snake, and it grabbed Odd-Eyes' tail with its gloved hand.

"When summoned, Entermate Partnaga grants the main star, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, 300 more ATK for each Entermate monster on my field. Since I have two, he gains 600 ATK!"

Odd-Eyes roared again, and a golden aura coated it. (2500 – 3100 ATK)

"Act two," continued Yuya, holding up two fingers. "I activate the effect of my Entermate Whip Viper, to switch the ATK and DEF of Mozarta!"

Whip Viper's eyes widened, and a visible wave of sonic energy rushed forward. Mozarta wailed as she was hit. (2600 – 2000 ATK)

"And that's not all," Tatsuya said. "Odd-Eyes, when attacking an opponent's monster, will deal double the battle damage!"

"The ATK of big sis Yuzu's Mozarta is 2600," said Ayu. She counted on her fingers, her eyes enlarging when she reached a conclusion. "If big bro Yuya's Odd-Eyes attacks it, she'll lose the rest of her life points!"

Futoshi hugged his body and shook wildly. "Oh, man, I'm getting shivers all over!"

"Moreover," Gongenzaka said solemnly, "because of the Pendulum effects of both Magician of Astromancy and Chronomancy, Yuzu isn't allowed to Spell or Trap Cards during the battle." His eyes narrowed as he looked at Yuya.

"Now, it's show time! Here I come, Yuzu!" Yuya shouted, jumping on Odd-Eyes' back. He masterfully stuck the landing, then pointed at Yuzu. "Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon–"

"Trap, activate!" Yuzu finally said. "Melodious Melody of Divine Punishment!"

Yuzu's facedown card rose, revealing a picture of a bolt of lightning shooting down from the sky.

"This Trap Card," Yuzu said, pointing to her ace monster, "for every Melodious monster I control, will deal 800 points of damage to my opponent. I only have one, but it's enough."

"H-huh?" Yuya said. He heard something above him and turned his head upward, just in time to see a burst of green lightning hit him and Odd-Eyes dragon, electrifying them both. Yuya's hair was still smoking when he fell off the dragon's back, landing harshly on the duel room floor and listening to the fanfare as the Real Solid Vision machine declared Yuzu the duel's winner.

 **(Yuya: 0 LP/Yuzu: 1000 LP)**

Stars were still in Yuya's eyes when he saw Yuzu approaching. She held out her hand and helped him up.

"Ow, ow, ow." Yuya winced as a twinge in his shoulder flared, and he deactivated his Duel Disk. "Oi, you couldn't have let me win that one?" he whined.

"Would Reiji Akaba just let you win because he felt sorry for you?" Yuzu retorted. Brushing a lock of hair behind her ear, she said, "And maybe I wouldn't have if you hadn't been so overkill in your methods. Using Whip Viper's effect was unnecessary."

"Yeah, yeah, I guess you've got a point," said Yuya. He huffed again, bounding back to his feet, and wiped his clothes.

"You only need to say 'yeah' once," Yuzu scolded, wagging her finger in Yuya's face. "Anyway, now that you know how to Pendulum Summon, that takes away half the battle. That's a good thing, at least."

"Yeah," said Yuya, suppressing the urge to say it a second time. "No matter what kind of dueling style or summoning method Reiji Akaba uses in our fight, I'll still have the entertainment duel that my father gave me, and the Pendulum Summon that's unique to Yuya Sakaki!" He pointed to himself to accentuate his point.

Yuzu smiled. It was rare to see Yuya take such pride in himself – even if he didn't exactly know how the Pendulum Cards came to him, or where they even came from.

"What do you say we go again? Just one more duel." he asked.

Yuzu shook her head, no. "I'm sorry but I can't. I've got to run to the store and grab the groceries for dinner."

Yuya huffed again and shrugged. "I guess it can't be helped, then." He turned to the adjoining room. "Hey, Gongenzaka, how about one more duel before we go home? What do you say?"

Gongenzaka nodded, moving past the three children to take Yuzu's place in the dueling room.

"I'll see you later, Yuzu," Yuya called as she was heading for the door.

"Yeah, see you later," she said. Giving a glimpse to the control room, she added, "And please make sure my dad gets home at a reasonable time tonight." Yuzu was reminded of the time, a few months before that she had waited for two hours for her father to come home from You Show, after she had already prepared the dinner. He had been there with Yuya and Gongenzaka, probably screaming something about "hot-bloodedness" and getting "fired up."

It wasn't uncommon that she felt like the adult in her family dynamic; her father was known to be both a kid-at-heart and forgetful. Many a time Yuzu felt it was her duty to keep him in line instead of the other way around.

"Will do," Yuya said, giving her a thumbs-up. "This will be the last duel, I promise."

Yuzu smiled and thanked him with a nod of acknowledgement. As she left the room, she could hear her father activating an Action Field and telling Yuya and Gongenzaka to give the spectators a "hot-blooded duel."

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Yuzu gave the money to the grocery store cashier and collected her change. Offering a polite thanks, she walked out the store into the darkening evening with two overstuffed plastic bags, carrying one in each hand like dumbbells.

"Crab legs, wasabi, bamboo skewers, yakisoba noodles," Yuzu said, glancing at some of the various items in the bags. She felt slightly queasy looking at the assortment. Their heady smells wafted upward. "Just what is he planning for dinner?"

She placed her arms out further, distancing herself from the plastic bags as best she could. Pacing the city's dark sidewalks, underneath the streetlamps, she was overcome with a resolve to distract herself from the food's stench with something. Anything.

Involuntarily, her brain retreated to the incident a couple days before, when Yuya had first used those strange cards – those Pendulum Cards – against Strong Ishijima. She remembered asking him about it.

 _ **Yuya shook his head. "I really don't know," he said. "It's like I told the reporters – it just happened."**_

 _ **Yuzu frowned. "You mean you just happened to have those cards, and happened to summon those monsters like that by chance?"**_

" _ **I know it sounds weird," Yuya said, "but you've seen my deck, Yuzu. I didn't have those cards before. And whatever it was, it affected everything – I checked the minute I got him. Cards in my hand, in my Deck, in my Graveyard. Half of them became Pendulum Cards. I don't know what happened, or how, but…"**_

She had said that she believed him when he told her that, and it wasn't entirely untrue. She was still, however, skeptical about the origin of the cards.

Still, she couldn't help but think of Yuya the day before, spending hours on end trying to figure out how to Pendulum Summon. Trying to become stronger. Maybe even strong enough to defeat Reiji Akaba.

The thought made her smile. She thought of her own deck. It had practically gone untouched from the day that she put it together. It worked well enough, sure, but she'd never found an overwhelming desire to become stronger with it.

 _Maybe someday_ , she thought. _Maybe someday I'll…_

Yuzu stopped walking and looked up. It seemed that by some ironic twist of fate, she had ended up in front of the Leo Duel School building. Like a knee-jerk reaction, she thought of her conversation with Yuya the day before Nico Smiley came to You Show, when she had wondered what it would have been like to be an LDS student.

She sighed at the thought and looked into one of the windows. A perfectly-kempt classroom with rows of spotless desks with laptops met her stare.

It wasn't that she disliked You Show; it was that everything about it was just so lackluster compared to just about every other duel school in the city. No matter what, it always fell behind somehow.

Yuzu shook her head, trying to shake free her negative thoughts. She took another step forward before taking two steps back and landing on her bottom. Miraculously the groceries were unscathed.

"Ouch." Yuzu set the groceries down, rubbing her behind and looking at the boy she had just bumped into. "I'm sorry," she said. "I wasn't watching where I was going and–"

"Oh!" came the excited cry from the blue-haired boy – Sora. He had also fallen over when he'd left the LDS building and collided with Yuzu. "It's you!"

Yuzu raised an eyebrow. She surely didn't recognize this boy. "Huh?"

Sora giggled wildly, which evolved into a fit of laughter. It took half a minute before he could speak again. "To have found you already, Serena. I can't believe it my luck. I just can't believe my luck!"

"Serena?" Yuzu quickly collected her groceries and stood. "I'm sorry, you must have me mistaken. That's not my name." She started to turn the other way.

"I'm not mistaken." Sora's voice was abruptly cold. "You're definitely Serena. And I'm going to bring you back to Academia."

Yuzu, still facing Sora, took a few steps back, retreating into a narrow alleyway beside the LDS building. Speckles of streetlamp light cast tiny dots on the brick walls. It was no use. With every step back she took, Sora took one forward.

"I'm telling you that I don't know any Serena," Yuzu pleaded. The grocery bags crinkled as she gripped them tighter. "My name is Yuzu. Yuzu Hiragi."

Sora stopped for a moment. He wondered, briefly, if this girl was telling the truth. He brushed the theory aside just as quickly, remembering Serena's face from the hologram he'd seen no more than twenty-four hours ago. There was no mistaking it; this was definitely the same face.

Sora reached behind his back. Yuzu became apprehensive before she saw him pull out a Duel Disk – a Standard-dimension model that Sora had received before he came to Maiami City. Disk in hand, he clicked a few buttons and the device unfolded, spawning a small pillar of light. Yuzu was about to question its purpose when a hologram appeared.

Yuzu stood in disbelief as she saw her, nearly dropping her groceries. The girl in the hologram looked exactly like her. In fact, Yuzu thought that it could have been her, had it not been for the red jacket and skirt, neither of which she owned. That was trivial, however. Where Yuzu had been looking was the girl's face.

 _Why…why does she look like me?_ Yuzu thought, taking a step back.

"Are you going to continue denying that you're Serena?" Sora asked.

"I told you that's not me. I don't know who that is, or why she has my face, but that's not me. My name is Yuzu. Honest." Yuzu took another step back, planning to make a run for it.

"If you're intent on running away," said Sora, "then duel me instead. If you win, I'll let you go."

Yuzu made a face. "And if you win?"

"Naturally, I'll be fulfilling my mission."

Yuzu pondered her limited options. She wasn't opposed to running away, but she thought Sora might catch her. The way he had bounded to his feet and followed her into the alleyway implied a level of speed.

Then there was dueling against him. This option worried Yuzu even more. Sora had come out of the LDS building when she ran into him, and she assumed he was a student there. That would mean that he likely had more advanced dueling tactics or had access to some summoning method that she didn't.

Still, it was looking like the option that she had the best chance at. It was a long shot, but she would take it.

"Fine," she replied, grabbing the pink, compressed Duel Disk hanging from her hip. "If you want a duel, I'll be your opponent!"

He appeared as she was getting ready to place the Duel Disk on her arm. He had jumped down from the second-story window of one of the alleyway buildings, landing unharmed.

"What?" Yuzu took a step back, staring at the man who was now in front of her. She could just barely make out the spiked hair, red scarf, and black clothing in the dark evening light.

 _Is he wearing…goggles?_ Yuzu looked askance at the man.

The man spoke through the mask on his face. His voice was forceful and clinical. "Your opponent is me."

"Eh?" Sora took a lollipop out of his pocket and pointed it at the man. "You?"

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Yuzu said, stepping forward. She didn't _want_ to face Sora, of course, but having someone fight her battle for her was just as troublesome. "This is my…"

The man looked back at her, and Yuzu could feel the chill of his stare, even through his goggles.

"I don't want you to get hurt anymore, Ruri."

"R-Ruri?"

The man turned around to face Sora, while a confused Yuzu stared at the back of his head. His left arm dropped in front of him, revealing a streamlined purple Duel Disk. Its tray unfolded and its monitor read "Stand By" as it lit up.

Sora was about to protest when he recollected his orders. "I give you the authority to engage Serena, or anyone that is seen assisting her, in a duel," he had been told. If he had to get through a pawn to collect his prize, he supposed it couldn't be helped. He could wait for Serena. For now, he would have fun with this duel.

He always loved a good hunt, anyway.

"Very well," Sora said in a surprisingly pleasant voice. He clicked a button on his Duel Disk, and Serena's hologram vanished. Then he placed the device on his left arm. "I'll duel you first."

The streetlamp flickered as the two duelists took their spots at the opposite ends of the alleyway. Yuzu stood to the left of the masked man, watching from the sidelines.

"Duel!" Sora and the masked duelist shouted.

Yuzu had a bad feeling about this.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Yuya lay supine on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He had homework that needed completing, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. His eyes once again slid to the stack of cards on his nightstand, and he grabbed them.

He fanned through his deck, noting the array of orange-green cards.

 _Pendulum Cards,_ he thought.

He still had no idea where the cards came from. He faintly remembered hearing something when the cards transformed – it was a voice; of that he could be sure. Desperately, he tried to recall just what it was that the voice had said.

 _Remember something._ He smacked his forehead with the palms of his hands. _Anything. Remember, remember, remember._

He heaved a sigh, ready to give up when he remembered something. He heard a man's voice speaking, and he recognized it as the voice he'd heard before he received the Pendulum Cards. He could almost hear the words the man said.

Yuya thought he might have been on the verge of a breakthrough when the phone rang. Nearly springing out of bed from surprise, he placed the stack of cards back on the nightstand, ran out of his room, slid down the pole to the living room, and answered the ringing landline in the kitchen.

"Hello, Sakaki residence."

"Yuya?" said the frantic voice on the other end. Yuya immediately recognized it. "Yuya, is that you?"

"Principal? What's wrong?"

"I was wondering if you'd seen Yuzu after she left You Show," Shuzo said. "She was supposed to go to the store to pick up the groceries, but that was an hour ago. She should have been back by now."

"H-huh? Yuzu's missing?" Yuya's voice was an almost octave higher than normal. He heard Shuzo sigh on the other end.

"I was hoping you knew where she was. I'm searching downtown right now." Yuya could hear the sound of Shuzo's sweatpants crunching as he ran. "I…I just…"

"Don't worry, Principal," Yuya said. He grabbed his school jacket from the living room couch and wrapped it around his neck. "I'll definitely help find her."

"Yuya, you…"

"I absolutely wouldn't let anything happen to Yuzu," said Yuya. "I'll find her and bring her back!"

"Thank you, Yuya," Shuzo said. He panted and said, "I'm checking the West and East parts of town, and Gongenzaka offered to search the South part."

"I understand," Yuya replied. "I'm going now." He slammed the phone on its base, remembering that his deck and Duel Disk were by his bed, upstairs. _I just have to hope I don't need them,_ he thought to himself, making his way to the front door. He ran for the northern part of the sunny-orange city, hoping to find Yuzu.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **(Sora Shuin'in: 4000 LP/Unknown: 4000 LP)**

Yuzu looked at the virtual duelist square above the blue-haired boy's head. Sora Shuin'in, it read, displaying a picture of him underneath his name. Then she turned to the one above the masked duelist. The single word displayed on the square immediately caught her attention.

"Unknown?" she asked. She was well aware that all Duel Disks were manufactured by a subset of the Leo Duel School monopoly, and that a duelist had to register their information into one before it became fully operational for dueling. So how, she wondered, could it be possible for this man to come up as unknown? The virtual square soon faded, and Yuzu remained answerless.

"I'll take the first move," said the man in the mask, scooping up a handful of cards. He placed each one facedown, and they formed on the field in front of him. "I set these four cards and end my turn."

"What?" said Yuzu. "No monsters?"

Sora didn't question this. "Hmph" was his only response. "My turn," he said. "Draw!"

He made a draw, turning his head slightly and smiling wider.

"I activate the Continuous Spell, Toy Pot, from my hand!"

A large contraption instantly appeared. It looked like an oversized gumball machine with hands, one of which was holding a cane. A coin slot appeared on the right of the mechanism. Inside the machine were plastic balls, half-white and half-purple.

"This card, once per turn," explained Sora, "allows me to discard one card from my hand. After that, I draw one card from my deck, and if it's a Furnimal monster, I can Special Summon any low-Level monster from my hand to the field. Anything else goes to the Graveyard."

He grabbed a Monster Card, turning it around for his opponent and Yuzu to see. Its artwork was dark, and before Sora sent it to the Graveyard, Yuzu thought the monster looked like a pair of clippers.

"Don't need this," Sora said, and the card sank into his discard slot. "Now, I draw!"

A gold coin materialized and inserted itself into the Toy Pot. Then Sora lithely took his top card in between his fingers and pulled. Another smile crossed his face.

"Yay!" He turned the card over. "The card I drew is Furnimal Owl. That means I can automatically Special Summon it!"

One of the Toy Pot capsules was jettisoned from the machine, and a monster appeared on the field in a flash of purple light. Flapping its wings and hooting was a brown owl with golden-red feathers. Two wings shot up from its forehead in the shape of a V. The monster's black eyes were hidden behind its tiny pair of bifocals. (1000 ATK)

"And when it's Normal or Special Summoned," added Sora, "Furnimal Owl can add a certain card from my deck to my hand."

A card slid from the middle of Sora's deck and he grabbed it in between his index and middle finger. He flipped it over, showing its green borders to the two duelists opposite him.

"That's…" The mysterious duelist sounded as though he was speaking through gritted teeth behind his mask, Yuzu thought. She watched his posture become more taut, more alert – more defensive.

"Next," Sora continued, adding the Spell with his other cards, "I activate the effect of the Edge Imp Scissors in my Graveyard. By sending one card from my hand to the top of my deck, I can, once per turn, Special Summon this monster from my Graveyard. Revive, Edge Imp Scissors!"

Sora placed a card on the top of his deck, and a dark energy pooled around his Graveyard slot. A plasmic black energy burst shot forward, revealing the monster to be the one Sora had discarded. As Yuzu had suspected, it was a pair of serrated hair clippers. They were a mixture of gold and silver at the bottom, and an ominous pair of pink eyes appeared to hide in the top portion. (800 DEF)

"Now, the conditions are met." Sora grinned devilishly, holding the Spell Card above his head. His green eyes were alight with mischief. "I activate the Spell Card, Polymerization!"

"Polymerization?" Yuzu gasped. "That means…"

Sora pointed to his two monsters, then grabbed two more cards from his hand. "The monsters I will fuse are the Edge Imp Scissors and Furnimal Owl on my field, and the Furnimal Cat and Furnimal Rabbit in my hand!"

Furnimal Owl and Edge Imp Scissors ascended. They were quickly joined by the illusory forms of two monsters. The first was a fuzzy purple kitten with a pink bowtie in its mane of neck fur. The white angel wings on its back kept it aloft. The second monster was a cream-colored bunny, also sporting angel wings. It had black eyes, a heartwarming smile, and a small green-and-red satchel wrapped around its body. Behind them a portal of blue and red swirls opened in the air.

Sora chanted: "Claws of the demon! Eyes of the void! Cunning of the predator! Speed of the beast! Become one in the mystic whirlpool and show us your new form!"

Sora clasped his hands together over his head, then brought them down in front of his face. His eyes were wide with an emotion that Yuzu hadn't seen in them before. "Fusion Summon!"

"Fusion…" The man in front of Yuzu nearly spat the word.

"Come forth! Mystical beast of the jungle who tears all to shreds! Death-Toy Scissor Tiger!"

Yuzu took a step back as Sora's monster came into view. Standing eight feet tall, the turquoise tiger glared at the masked duelist with its piercing green eyes. Its hands were attached to its body via shears, and a seven foot pair kept together its upper and lower body. Rips and tears ran up and down the monster, many of which were poorly patched together. Puffs of cotton shot from its knees, neck and its tail, which was being jabbed by four pins. The monster opened its mouth to laugh demonically, and the pink eyes from Edge Imp Scissors flashed briefly. (1900 – 2200 ATK)

"Its attacking power increased?" Yuzu asked.

"Scissor Tiger," explained Sora, "for each Furnimal or Death-Toy monster under my control, grants each Death-Toy monster 300 additional ATK, and that includes itself.

"Moreover, the effects of Furnimal Cat and Furnimal Rabbit activate, allowing me to take both the Polymerization and the Edge Imp Scissors from my Graveyard and add them to my hand."

The two cards were ejected from Sora's discard slot, and he grabbed them.

"And lastly" – Sora said these words with a slightly feral look in his otherwise innocent eyes – "Death-Toy Scissor Tiger, when it's summoned, can destroy cards on the field, up to the number of Fusion Materials that were used in its summoning." He held up four fingers. "To summon Scissor Tiger, I used four monsters. Therefore, I'll destroy your four facedown cards!"

Scissor Tiger's back erected. Its googly eyes scanned the field, falling on the four facedown cards. The shears keeping its body connected lunged forward, and with one clean cut the four facedowns – three Trap Cards and a Spell – were wiped out.

"Now you have nothing to protect you," Sora said matter-of-factly. "Death-Toy Scissor Tiger, attack him directly!"

The tiger's scissors extended again, this time threatening to slice the masked man in two.

"From my Graveyard," the man finally said, "I activate the effects of my Trap Cards: The Phantom Knights of Shadow Veil!"

"Trap Cards…" said Yuzu, now gawking at the man.

"From the Graveyard, you said?" Sora finished.

Three cards slid out of the man's Graveyard, and he placed each one on his Monster Zone. Blue flames engulfed the field as three identical horsemen appeared. They were garbed in wispy black cloaks and armor, and they sat perched upon black horses wearing golden plates and unicorn horns. (300 DEF x 3)

The man elaborated, his voice filled with newfound vitriol. "The Phantom Knights of Shadow Veil, when I'm attacked directly, can Special Summon as many copies of itself from the Graveyard as possible, as Normal Monsters. Using its effect, Death-Toy Scissor Tiger destroyed three copies of this card; therefore I could activate each one just now."

"Tch." Sora's smile faltered but found its way back to his face. "If that's the case, I'll have Scissor Tiger destroy one of the Shadow Veils instead."

The shears redirected at one of the horsemen, cutting it in twain.

The masked man took the Trap Card from his disk and placed it in his pocket. "When it leaves the field after it's been summoned," he said, "my Phantom Knight's Trap is banished."

Sora looked at the three cards in his hand, one Trap Card and the two cards his Furnimal Cat and Rabbit retrieved. He took the former card and set it.

"I place this facedown. Turn end."

Yuzu looked in awe at the man in front of her. _He set those cards preemptively, intending to use them as a failsafe_ , she thought _._ She stared at his goggles, trying to see past them to his eyes, trying to read his face, but to no avail. _Just who is he?_

The man stood there, head down, breathing quietly for a long time. In spite of Sora's incessant foot tapping and humming, he stood stationary.

"Hey," Sora said, cupping his hands over his mouth – he was intent on being heard. "I ended my turn. Are you going to make your move?"

The man muttered something unintelligible under his breath.

"Eh?" Sora said. Now his hands were cupped around his ears. "What was that?"

"Pawn of Fusion…" The man raised his head, and even through his goggles Sora could feel the icy darkness of his glare. "I finally found you."

Sora went wide-eyed, and he took a step back by way of instinct. "Pawn of Fusion?" he repeated.

"For what you did to my homeland, to Heartland, I will definitely…"

Wordlessly, the man drew his card. Then he transferred his glare from Sora to his own monsters.

"The preparations are complete," he said. "I needed just two monsters of the same Level for it. That is where the true strength of my deck lies."

"What?" Yuzu said. Then she, too, understood. _Wait, he doesn't mean…_

Sora took another step back.

"I," the masked duelist continued, "using my two Level 4 Phantom Knight Shadow Veils, construct the overlay network!"

The two knights shrank, compressing into orbs of the darkest purple. They danced around each other in the shape of a helix before falling to a starry portal on the ground. Neon blue energy encircled the field.

Yuzu was at once taken aback by the harsh gusts that now whipped around the three of them. "How is this happening?" Her whispers were swept away by the winds. "They're not dueling on Action Field, so why can I feel the wind?"

The masked man was unfazed by the gusts. Instead, he threw his arm over his head and began to chant:

"Formed from pitch-black darkness to fight those foolish enough to oppose it with its treacherous fangs. Descend now!"

The sound of thunder boomed above the duelists, though the clouds were far and few between. Dark wings sprouted, spanning almost the entire alleyway. Long black legs, covered at the ankles with blue gemstones, stretched on the ground. Behind the monster, its tail toppled over a trashcan. Its dandelion-yellow eyes glared at Sora. With a roar, it struck a pose, its fangs sparking with lightning. Yuzu looked at the stones on monster's wings; they vaguely reminded her of the stones on Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon. Two purple orbs circled around the monster – overlay units. (2500 ATK)

"Xyz Summon! Rank 4, Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!"

"No way," Yuzu said, hand over her heart. "An Xyz Summon?"

Sora's mouth hung open, and it looked like he might speak, if he wasn't at a loss for words. The two cards in his hand moved violently as his hands began to tremble. His mind was racing with thoughts, words, feelings, but he couldn't express any of them.

He just stood there.

"I activate Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon's effect!" the man said. "By detaching both overlay units from this monster, it can permanently halve the ATK of an opposing monster. Furthermore, Dark Rebellion's own ATK will increase by the amount lost. Treason Discharge!"

Both of the purple orbs surrounding the dragon were absorbed by its right wing. Purple lightning surged around the creature and it roared. With a defiant swoop of its wings, it shot the lightning at Scissor Tiger, who crumpled to its knees. (2200 – 1100 ATK)

Dark Rebellion roared again as the lightning returned to its body. (2500 – 3600 ATK)

"Battle. Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon, attack Death-Toy Scissor Tiger! Rebellious Lightning Disobey!"

The lightning intensified, this time coating the dragon's entire body. Its dark fangs became a pristine white as it flew forward, nearly knocking Yuzu to the ground with its heavy tailwinds. With a swift uptilt of its chin, the dragon dug its fangs into the tiger's patchwork body, and the latter monster exploded within seconds.

 **(Sora: 1500 LP/Unknown: 4000LP)**

Sora screamed as his body was flung down the alleyway. He landed unceremoniously on his back and was sent rolling a few more feet.

Yuzu was surprised she hadn't fallen over herself, given the strength of the attack. She suddenly became aware of the arms, warm and gentle, wrapped around her. Her face turned hot pink as she felt the masked man's limbs drop back down to his side, and she watched him return to the spot he'd been standing in before the attack.

"Y-you…" she stuttered. The man had just been a little too close, sure, but she couldn't explain the feeling she'd gotten when he was protecting her. It somehow felt normal. It felt right.

"I set one card facedown," said the masked man.

The facedown card momentarily appeared behind Dark Rebellion.

Sora grunted and jammed his elbows into the cement, forcing himself to sit up. A sharp pain roared down his back but he willed it away. He had faced worse before.

"I will only ask you this once. Tell me why you were coming out of that building."

Sora looked up, surprised to hear the masked man's voice. "What?"

The man cocked his head to the side, in the direction of the LDS building. "LDS. What is your relationship to that school? To Academia?"

 _Academia,_ thought Yuzu.

Sora's mind began racing again, and he impetuously said, "I don't know what you're talking about. What do you mean, Academia?"

The masked man stood in silence for a while. Then he brought a hand to his face and put his goggles on his head. Never taking his piercing gray eyes off Sora, he removed his mask, revealing the scowl hiding underneath.

Yuzu clasped a hand over her mouth in disbelief. She took a step forward. She was briefly struck with the thought that she might be dreaming, but she shook her head. She didn't understand it, but she knew it wasn't a dream. Even under the dim light from the streetlamp that sank into the alley, she could see his face clearly.

"Yuya, you…"

The man turned to her, his icy stare freezing her in her tracks. Then he turned back to Sora.

"Don't screw with me," he said, spitting the words like they were caustic. "To flaunt around…Fusion Summoning like that, you have to be from Academia. You have to be one of the people who invaded and destroyed our home. One of the ones who took Ruri."

Sora gave a nonchalant shrug. "I already told you I don't know anything like that."

"And your Fusion Summoning–"

"I learned to Fusion Summon elsewhere."

"And where would that be?"

"Why don't you focus on the duel instead?" Sora said, working his way back to his feet.

"Then let me ask you once I've defeated you," said the gray-haired man. "My turn is over."

Sora dropped his gaze to the ground, smirking wildly under his now-ruffled hair. He would prove himself. He would defeat this man, this Xyz user. He would show his worth as the Academia's top duel soldier.

"It's my turn," he said. He looked up and gave a tug on his deck. "Draw!"

Of course, having used placed the card on top of his deck with Edge Imp Scissor's effect, he already knew what it was. For this reason, he immediately grabbed the middle card in his hand.

"Once more I activate the Magic Card, Polymerization! This time, I fuse, from my hand, Edge Imp Scissors and Furnimal Bear!"

Two monsters flew above Sora. One was the demonic pair of scissors. The other was a cute pink bear with beady black eyes, white angel wings on its back, pointy ears, and a red ascot tied around its neck. The two monsters dissolved in the swirling portal behind them.

"Claws of the demon! Fangs of the beast! Become one and reveal to us your new form!"

Sora brought his hands down in front of his face and yelled: "Fusion Summon!"

A large brown bear, not unlike Furnimal Bear, appeared. Without warning, its arms quivered and shot forward, becoming plump and clawed. Its stomach split in two, and a giant pair of scissors now held together both sections. A second pair of scissors was located on the monster's back, giving its feet mobility. The bear's head lifted, its lazy eyes drifting skyward, and the loose strands of string that kept its head attached to its patchy body stretched. A mouth, containing two rows of sharp blue teeth, housed a set pair of unholy pink eyes. (2200 ATK)

"Come forth, horrifying beast that shreds all. Death-Toy Scissor Bear!"

Sora watched his opponent's body tense, and he stifled an immediate urge to smirk. He would win. He would defeat this man just like he had defeated his comrades in Heartland.

"This is the final move," Sora said. "I activate my Trap Card…"

"Yuzu!"

Sora scanned the alleyway, left to right to left. _Where is that voice coming from? Wait…Yuzu?_

The voice shouted again. "Yuzu! Where are you, Yuzu?"

Yuzu snapped out of her thoughts. She recognized that voice. "Yuya? Yu…" She stopped short, her heart nearly stopping as she looked to her left. She saw the man standing there.

"How…" She stopped, finding it increasingly difficult to speak. "How can Yuya be yelling if he's right over…"

She was interrupted by a bright flash of light. She looked down in complete awe as she noticed the source of the pink luminosity: her bracelet.

"W-what's going on?"

Eventually the light became too bright and she was forced to close her eyes. She waited seconds, hoping that it would be gone, whatever _it_ was. Then she opened them.

He was gone.

"Y-Yuya?" she called out. Yuya, or whoever had been standing in front of her. Whoever it was, he was gone. "Yuya?"

She quickly glanced over her shoulder, to where Sora had been standing, only to see a dart of blue dash down the alleyway and out of sight. He was gone, too.

She was alone.

"Yuzu!" The sound was closer now. "Yuzu!" Yuya cried from behind Yuzu as he almost ran past the alleyway. He stopped, panting as he noticed her. "There are you, Yuzu. Are you okay?"

"Yuya…" She turned to face him. She took note of his face, sweat-laden. She noticed the goggles on top of his head, in the same position they had been in when he had removed them a couple minutes ago. That had to have been him, Yuzu thought. "You…"

"I'm glad I found you," Yuya said, wiping the lingering sweat from his forehead. "I…"

Yuya dropped to his knees, suddenly doubled over in pain. He felt like his chest was on fire, the same way it had been the day before, right after the white motorcycle had zoomed past him. He felt his breathing become shallow.

And that's when he heard it.

The scream of a female, bloodcurdling and helpless. It pierced his ears, sending chills down his spine. He was conscious enough to determine that the scream didn't come from Yuzu, who was now on her knees, speaking unintelligible words. He couldn't explain it. It sounded like the noise had come from inside his mind.

He gave a feeble shake of his head, looking around the street as he did so. No one else was in sight, male or female. Did he just imagine the scream, vivid and chilling? _That can't be possible,_ he thought. _I've never heard that sound in my life._

"Yuya, Yuya! What's the matter, Yuya? Yuya!"

The feeling left Yuya, quickly and unexpectedly. He took deep gasps of breath like a fish thrown back into the water. His heart was pounding and he had broken into a cold sweat, but he felt normal otherwise.

"Don't worry," he said faintly. He gave a reassuring flick of his wrist, brushing aside the lingering fire in his heart. "I feel better now."

Yuzu opened her mouth to speak. Then she closed it and looked back to the spot where _he_ had been. Questions bombarded her mind like a fusillade of bullets, but she was struggling to verbalize just one of them.

"Anyway, it's good to that I found you. Your dad was worried sick," Yuya added, regaining his footing with a few labored breaths. He felt better now, though his chest was still pounding.

"Dad?" she repeated. Yuya's words sounded so far away to her, like they were stranded and abandoned on a deserted island.

"Eh?" Yuya gave Yuzu a look of concern. "Is something wrong, Yuzu?"

"You're really Yuya, aren't you? The real Yuya?" she asked, pointing an accusing finger in his face.

"What?" Yuya's bewilderment was drawn on his face like a painting. He thought Yuzu's question might have been part of his lingering hallucination, like the woman's scream. "What do you mean by that, exactly? Who else would I be?"

"But you were just dueling against Sora."

"Dueling? Wait, who's Sora?" Yuya scratched the back of his head. "Are you sure you're okay, Yuzu?"

Yuzu shook her head. "I'm not sure," she said. "I thought…"

"Thought what?" Yuya looked in her eyes and she felt the same feeling she had felt when the man dueling looked at her.

"No, it's nothing," she said quickly. "I guess I'm a little more tired than I thought I was."

"Come on, I'll walk you home," said Yuya. He took a couple slow steps back, to the sidewalk, and waited for Yuzu to follow him.

Yuzu looked over her shoulder one more time. Aside from the overturned garbage can, she had no evidence that the duel had even taken place. She was about to go with Yuya when she noticed something on the ground, over where Sora had been standing. "Hold on," she said.

She ran over to the spot, crouching down to notice a Duel Monsters card lying on the ground. She tenderly scooped it in both hands and turned it over.

Polymerization.

She remembered the reaction that the masked man had had when Sora had played it. Why had he felt such a visceral reaction to the Spell Card?

"Oi, Yuzu!" Yuya shouted from the other side of the alley. "Are you coming?"

"Coming," Yuzu said, much too quietly for Yuya to hear. She placed the card in her pocket, went back to grab the groceries that were leaning against the brick wall – which were surprisingly still unscathed by the duel – and went to join him.

"Say, what were you doing in the alleyway, anyway?" Yuya asked as the two of them walked to Yuzu's house, but not before Yuzu took a final glance at the alley, at where the masked man had been standing.

After they had left, from behind the brick wall of the alleyway that Sora had been closest to, a purple-haired girl in a dark robe, who had seen the entirety of the duel, poked her head around the corner.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

"Two high-energy summoning methods detected," said a man behind one of the monitors of the LDS control room. He tapped a couple of buttons on his metallic keyboard and a red sign that read 'warning' flashed on the screen. "Only a block from here, too."

Reiji Akaba, sitting in the chair twenty feet above the computer screens, looked down at the man. " _Two_ summoning methods?"

"Yes, President," said the man. He inputted a code into the computer and said, "We're analyzing them now."

Reiji interlaced his fingers, resting his chin on them. His purple eyes glided from monitor to monitor. He recalled something.

"Nakajima."

"Yes, President?" said the burly man, stepping forward from behind Reiji. He was carrying a clipboard with important names scrawled on it.

"Did you send the letter to Yuya Sakaki?"

"Yes."

Reiji nodded, and Nakajima fell back. Reiji closed his eyes. Saturday would come soon and he would need all the practice he could get with his new cards.

"President, the reports are back."

"And?"

"The first summoning method is registered as an Xyz Summon."

"Xyz," Reiji repeated. It didn't surprise as much as it should have, he would be quick to admit. He had assumed this might happen sometime, but he hadn't expected it to be so soon. "And the other?" he asked, fulling expecting the answer to be Pendulum.

"Sir, the other is…"

"Is?"

"Fusion Summon."

A noticeable hush lulled over the control room. It seemed that even the computer monitors appeared to be making less noise.

Reiji took a deep breath and opened his eyes.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

OCG/Anime/Custom Cards Shown In This Chapter –

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Melodious Melody of Divine Punishment (Trap)**

Normal Trap

Image: The azure heavens opening on a dark field and releasing a blue-white thunderbolt that pierces the lands.

Effect: Inflict 800 damage to your opponent for each "Melodious" monster you control.

Note: This card was first used by Yuzu Hiragi in Episode 29 of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V." Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Author's Note: In order to get the answers she desires, Serena infiltrates LDS to meet with Reiji Akaba. Elsewhere, Yuzu, dazed and confused by the image of Serena and the mysterious masked man, is caught in an internal struggle. Things only go from bad to worse, however, when a mysterious boy comes to You Show. Why has he come, and what exactly does he want? Find out next time!


	5. It's Showtime! Yusho Sakaki's Successor?

**Chapter 5: It's Showtime! Yusho Sakaki's Successor?**

 **0-0-0-0-0**

The sound of Serena's leather boots bounded off the walls as the automated entrance doors to the LDS building whirred open. She took a half-step inside and was at once taken aback by the enormity of the building's interior.

"So this is…"

Certainly, Leo Duel School had looked large on the outside, but it seemed to be double the width on the inside. In the middle of the room was a hologram projector, displaying the letters LDS in baby blue. Behind it was a giant screen, which played a muted video loop of Duel Monsters flying through an Action Field. An expanse of vacant rooms that flanked the sides of the building. Serena looked inside one of the rooms to her right, which contained a virtual chalkboard and a row of streamlined Duel Disks sitting on the lab countertop.

Serena frowned. She was never one for being ostentatious, and the over-extravagance of the school struck her as being gaudy. This looked more like a circus than a school. She had expected something more basic, more conventional. Something more standard. She supposed this dimension didn't quite live up to its name in all aspects.

She was suddenly greeted by a thought, however. There was something about the architecture that was unsettlingly familiar to her. She knew it was a futile thought, of course; she had never been to Standard. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling. It was as though she had seen this all before.

She couldn't be sure where she had, though. Or even _if_ she had.

She stood there, half of her body inside the building and half being kissed by the scorching Wednesday afternoon sun. She sighed and closed her eyes. _This is why I came here,_ she reminded herself. _If it's to get what I need, then…_

When she opened her jade eyes she looked to the ceiling, multiple stories up, where puffy amorphous clouds floated by on the other side of the skylight.

She inhaled sharply, deciding on her resolve. She took a few steps forward, letting the doors snap shut behind her. She took a few more before she noticed movement from the corner of her eye. It was coming from the upper second floor. Her body tensed as she whirled around to face the culprit. She summarily relaxed her muscles, scowling at the security camera monitoring her.

"Jeez," she muttered. She felt her heartbeat returning to normal, immediately embarrassed to have been put on the defensive by a piece of machinery. She balled her fingers into fists to make herself appear tougher, mostly for the sake of whoever was watching the camera's video feed.

Serena glanced over her shoulder, to the double doors. She brushed off the idea of retreating just as quickly. She hadn't traveled all the way to Standard to just run away.

She was on a crucial mission.

She steadied her gait and moved forward, trying to mentally drown out the sound of her boots clicking against the linoleum. She was thankful that the place was currently empty, though she already knew it would be. She had watched the school rigorously the day before, observing when students entered and left the school. The bulk of the LDS attendees would be there in a little less than an hour, around three o'clock.

She knew she would have to be quick.

Upon remembering this, Serena's languid walk became a hurried run. She no longer cared who heard her. She no longer cared about the echoes her boots were producing. She no longer cared about the security camera, though she could practically feel it tracking her movements. She had no idea where to run, but she kept moving.

At the end of the hallway was an elevator, which Serena came to after twenty seconds of running. She panted lightly and pushed the up button on the elevator, looking to her left, right, and behind her, out of habit. She was still alone.

It was a weird feeling, running without being chased or having to hide. It had been quite a while since she had experienced it. She couldn't yet tell whether or not she liked it – it was definitely less of an adrenaline rush than running from the likes of the Obelisk Force.

She turned back to the elevator when she heard the ding. The elevator doors slid open, and her eyes widened as the black-haired man standing inside grabbed her forcefully by the arm. She tried to wriggle free, to no avail.

"What are you doing? Let go!" she shouted, struggling to break free of his ironclad grasp. Now he had one hand on each of her arms as he pulled her closer, dragging her into the elevator. This was the part of the chase that Serena always hated. "Let go of me!"

"I can't do that," the man replied. His voice was clinical and even, the voice of a man doing his job.

"I said let me go!" Serena yelled as the elevator doors closed, struggling even further as the man pushed the top floor button. She gave one more attempt to break free, throwing her right shoulder to the side violently. The yellow ribbon holding her ponytail in place fell to the floor, but she remained trapped in the man's grip. She gritted her teeth. "What do you want from me, anyway?" she asked, snarling like a bulldog.

"It's not what _I_ want," said the man.

Serena gave an exaggerated huff, giving up on the man and his brusque, cryptic answers. She looked down, taking a newfound interest in her hair ribbon.

The two of them went the remainder of the ride without speaking. Serena listened impatiently to the sound of the elevator cables and focused on regulating her breathing. The man behind her remained immovable. Serena didn't feel his hands shift or shake once. She couldn't even hear his breathing.

She had only run away from Academia a week ago. Had the Professor caught on to her that quickly? Was this man one of his reinforcements, come to take her back? She shook her head at the thought. The notion distressed her, but she could tell that it wasn't the case. There was a different aura about this man. He wasn't like the others.

She turned her head around, glowering at the man. With his sunglasses on, Serena couldn't tell if he was even looking back at her, and that made her glower all the more spiteful.

Finally, the elevator stopped moving. Serena heard the dinging noise, heard the doors open, and heard a voice call from what seemed like the other side of the world:

"You can release her now, Nakajima."

"Yes, President," said the man standing behind Serena. He dropped his hold on her arms, bringing his own arms back to his sides.

Serena shot the man – Nakajima – another dirty look, rubbing her sore wrists. Her fingers grazed the cool metal of the bracelet on her right arm. She crouched down, grabbed her ribbon, and replaced it in her hair. Then she looked forward, into the blackness.

"Come forward," the voice said, directed at Serena.

Serena looked around the room for the source of the voice, but it was too dark. All she could make out was the sickly neon glow emanating from the three large computer monitors stationed in the middle of the control room.

"Come." The voice was sterner this time, more declarative.

Serena took an apprehensive step forward, wary of any trap she might have been walking into. "Just who are you?" she asked. She took another step forward. She put her hands out in front of her. She could barely see them. "Show yourself!"

"Very well."

This time the voice was accompanied by the clacking of shoes against metal. Serena noticed the voice came from higher up, and she watched as someone descended a flight of stairs that led to the master control panel.

The room lights sparked to life as Reiji Akaba reached ground level. He stared at Serena through his glasses, watching her intently. Waiting for her to make the first move. He saw Nakajima step out of the elevator and stand against the wall, a few feet behind Serena. He stayed upon Reiji's request – as an 'emergency precaution,' Reiji had called it.

Reiji and Serena looked at each other for a while, neither speaking. The elevator doors shut behind the purple-haired girl with a finalizing ding. The hum of the computer pierced through the silence.

Serena was the first to cave. "Is this some kind of a joke? Why did you bring me all the way up here?"

Reiji pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his violet eyes never straying from Serena. He spoke like Nakajima, clinically and professionally. "Why have you come here?"

"Isn't that obvious?" she said in a voice that implied that it was, in fact, obvious. "I came to this place to–"

"That's not what I meant."

"What?"

"Why have you come to this dimension?" Reiji lifted his head, looking directly into her eyes. "Serena."

Serena's eyes narrowed. She turned back to Nakajima. Had she misread him in the elevator? Were these two working for the Professor after all?

"Yes," Reiji said. "I know who you are, Serena."

"Am I supposed to be impressed?" she asked. "Who are you?"

"Reiji Akaba."

This piece of information, Reiji noticed, sparked Serena's attention. She shifted her balance from her left foot to her right. She placed an anxious hand on her bracelet.

"Akaba…"

"Yes," he continued. "I am the son of Leo Akaba…the Professor."

"Leo Akaba's – no, the Professor's son…" Serena seemed to ponder this for a while. She scowled, coming to a realization. "Then that means you, too, are intent on bringing me back to that place. Back to Academia."

"I have no intention of returning you to Academia, or of furthering Leo Akaba's ambitions," Reiji said. He looked hard at Serena. "You don't remember me," he said, more as a statement than a question.

"What? Should I?"

"I don't expect you to remember, but we've met before, three years ago. In the Fusion Dimension – on Academia."

Serena closed her eyes as if deep in remembrance.

"I'll ask you again," said Reiji. "Why have you come to this dimension? Are you the harbinger of the invasion? Could it be that you're the forerunner in Leo Akaba's plan to unite…"

"Don't misunderstand. My presence here has not been facilitated through the Professor," Serena interrupted. "This has nothing to do with him. I came here of my own will."

"You're avoiding my original question."

Serena glared at Reiji. "I don't have to answer to the likes of you."

Reiji saw Nakajima frown, no doubt due to Serena's insolence. He pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose and said, "Just know this: Following Leo Akaba's disappearance in this world, I had to spearhead and manage the Leo Corporation in his stead."

Serena looked unimpressed.

"Among other concomitant responsibilities that came with that title, I have had to maintain the peace of this city – no, this land, even knowing the real possibility of an emerging invasion from my" – Reiji paused for a brief moment – "from Leo Akaba. I have had to protect this world from the threat of his presence.

"But now I see that, whether you've come here of your own volition or you've been sent ahead in advance as a soldier from Academia, I will have to hurry my efforts to recruit duelists. It seems I have no other choice."

"Recruit?"

"I'm sure you couldn't have known this, but we have recently recorded, within the past week, a unique new summoning method, one that exhibits an incomprehensible level of energy. Its name is Pendulum Summoning."

Serena was quick to understand. "And your aim is..."

"My aim is to find the few duelists with the potential and capability to master this new summoning method, and to recruit them in preparation for the imminent battle against Leo Akaba. I believe it to be our best possible recourse."

Serena was quiet a moment. When she spoke, her voice was softer. "Suppose I was working for the Professor," she said. "If that was the case, why tell me all of this? What do you have to gain?"

"I know that Leo Akaba's ambitions absolutely cannot become a reality," answered Reiji matter-of-factly. "I also know that he personally kept his eye on you. You were the duelist in which he saw the most potential. I want to know if you wish to join me in the upcoming battle."

"Join you?"

Reiji said nothing. He could hear the low droning of the computer monitors again.

"Laughable." Serena looked at him. "That's absolutely laughable," she repeated, turning her back on Reiji. She took a step toward the elevator.

"You…" Nakajima growled.

Serena turned back to face Reiji. Her right hand was balled into a fist. "Academia's goal is one coated in nobility. My comrades traveled to the front lines as proud warriors to enact a new future."

Reiji caught sight of the computer monitor in his peripheral vision. "The front lines," he parroted. "By which you mean one of the other dimensions."

Serena nodded. "The Xyz Dimension. The assimilation of the worlds is a necessary measure. Once they have all been united, we can truly come to an understanding. I won't be joining a futile resistance that opposes an honorable objective."

"I see," Reiji said. "So that's what he's been telling you."

"Even if I'm not working with the Professor," said Serena, taking another step toward the elevator, "I won't work against him. What I'm doing here is my business and mine alone."

"Leo Akaba will certainly be looking for you, just like he was on that day. You must have realized that by now."

Serena stopped in her tracks.

"Even if your own reasons for coming here aren't influenced by him, if it's to stop you, he will do everything in his power to find you. Pursuers will come here searching for you. Invaders. And if that happens – when that happens…"

"I'm not afraid of the Obelisk Force," Serena retorted. "I'll fend off all of them if they're intent on standing in my way. Maybe then the Professor will…" Her voice trailed off.

Reiji looked past Serena, to the wall behind Nakajima. "Know this," he said. "If you undo the peace of this city that I've worked so hard to preserve, I will have no choice but to take drastic measures. You will be considered the enemy, and I cannot promise your safety."

Serena was quiet, as though contemplating her options.

"Earlier you said that we've met before," she eventually said.

"That's right."

"I remember it. I remember that day clearly now." She looked up at him. "And if those pursuers come looking for me, I'll take them all on, one by one. Just like you saw three years ago."

She looked down, now aware that she had been absentmindedly clutching her bracelet the entire time. She took her hand from it, punching the down button on the elevator. The doors split open.

She stepped halfway into the elevator, leaving one foot outside, just as she had when she entered the LDS building. She opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it, placing her outstretched foot into the shaft. She could feel Reiji eyes on her, even when the elevator doors closed and she was halfway down to the ground floor.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Sitting at her desk, Yuzu looked out the window for the umpteenth time that afternoon. The teacher's lecture had become mere background noise about an hour ago; there was no way she could pay attention any longer.

Even though it had happened a day and a half ago, the events of that Monday night seemed to swirl around Yuzu's mind like a pinwheel. She watched the amorphous clouds drift past the windowpane as she recalled it, recalled the man dueling against Sora.

 _That night, there was someone who looked just like Yuya._ She turned to her left, noticing the boy in question slouched over in his chair, struggling to stay awake, his head cupped lazily in his left hand. _Or maybe it was Yuya. But…_

She remembered distinctly the sound of Yuya's voice just before – just before that guy disappeared. And then Yuya appeared.

 _But how could he have been in two places at once?_ She shook her head. _No, that couldn't have been Yuya. That just couldn't have been. But then…but then why did he have Yuya's face?_

She visualized the man's face to the best of her ability. It was a perfect facsimile of Yuya's, even in the bleakness of dim streetlamp. She saw his eyebrows jutting downward in a look of anger, his pouting mouth bearing a similar expression. She took this mental image and superimposed it on Yuya's tired face like a grid. It was a perfect match, just as she had both expected and feared. She sighed, trying to think of something else as a distraction.

 _Come to think of it, who was that girl that Sora guy was talking about? Serena…_

" _ **Oh!" came the excited cry from the blue-haired boy – Sora. He had also fallen over when he'd left the LDS building and collided with Yuzu. "It's you!"**_

 _ **Yuzu raised an eyebrow. She surely didn't recognize this boy. "Huh?"**_

 _ **Sora giggled wildly, which evolved into a fit of laughter. It took half a minute before he could speak again. "To have found you already, Serena. I can't believe it my luck. I just can't believe my luck!"**_

" _ **Serena?" Yuzu quickly collected her groceries and stood. "I'm sorry, you must have me mistaken. That's not my name." She started to turn the other way.**_

" _ **I'm not mistaken." Sora's voice was abruptly cold. "You're definitely Serena. And I'm going to bring you back to Academia."**_

A picture of the girl – Serena – flitted across her mind's eye. Just like Yuya and the man that dueled against Sora, somehow Serena had shared Yuzu's face, too.

But none of it made sense to Yuzu. Just what was Academia? And how could someone else have the same face as her? It clearly wasn't her in the hologram Sora showed her, given the appearance of that girl's clothing and hair. But this thought didn't quite mollify Yuzu.

And then there was what the masked man had said: _I don't want you to get hurt anymore, Ruri._

It wasn't enough that she had gotten confused that Serena girl, who apparently looked just like her, but now she had yet another person that she was mistaken for? She wondered, momentarily, if there was a chance that the Ruri girl also had the same face as her, but she brushed the thought away. It was impossible, she decided. She didn't know how it was possible with Serena, but she knew that there was just no way three people could share the same face.

And what had he meant when he said that Sora's people invaded and destroyed his home?

 _Serena…Ruri…Invasions…What in the world is going on?_

Then she recollected something else. She looked at her right arm.

 _Right before that happened, right before Yuya appeared, something else happened._ She lifted her arm and the pink stone in her bracelet glinted in the sunlight. Then she turned back to Yuya briefly. _My bracelet…flashed._

She shook her wrist lightly a couple times, watching the bracelet sway.

 _But how is that possible?_ She wondered this as she sighed. _It's never done that before._

"Hiragi…Yuzu Hiragi."

"Huh?" Yuzu was brought back into reality by the sound of the teacher's voice. She was now acutely aware that all her classmates' eyes that were on her, Yuya's included. She nervously clambered to her feet, almost knocking her chair over in the process. "Y-yes?"

"I said, what is the answer to this problem?" The teacher tapped the blackboard with a piece of chalk, pointing to an algebraic equation. "Hiragi."

Yuzu gulped, squinting at the calculation. When did the blackboard get so far away? "Umm…"

"Well?"

A sigh of relief escaped Yuzu's mouth as the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. The other students, apparently losing interest in Yuzu, grabbed their belongings and crammed out the door. Within seconds, only Yuya, Yuzu, and the teacher remained, and, with a final glimpse at the two of them, the latter was gone.

Yuzu finally sat back down, holding her head in her hands. Her pink bangs fluttered forlornly to her forehead. She sat there shaking her head.

"Y-Yuzu." Yuya reached out a hand but retracted it. "What's wrong, Yuzu?"

Yuzu just shook her head.

Yuya wondered if she had even heard his question. He tried again, reaching his hand out and touching Yuzu shoulder. To his elation, she lifted her head, looking him straight in the eyes. It seemed as though she was on the verge of tears.

"D-don't worry," Yuya said, trying to comfort her. "I didn't know the answer to the teacher's question either. It's not the end of the world."

"You…you really are Yuya, aren't you? Really, really?"

 _This again,_ Yuya thought, unconsciously frowning.

Yuzu's eyes widened and she instinctively pulled her body back, sending Yuya's hand limping to the side of his chair. Seeing Yuya frown in that moment, all she could see was the man who dueled against Sora. The one who had called her Ruri.

Yuya's frown morphed into a look of concern. "Yuzu? Are you all right?"

Yuzu took a moment to respond. "Yeah," she whispered. She spoke uncertainly, making each word its own separate isle. "It's nothing. I'm fine."

"You've been acting strange recently," Yuya said. He turned in his chair to face her. "You can tell me if there's something bothering you, you know. That's what friends do."

Yuzu looked down at her bracelet, lost in contemplation. She wondered what Yuya would think if she told him everything. She was intent on saying nothing, but she blurted the words out before she could stop herself:

"Monday night, right before you appeared, there was a man dueling that looked like you."

"A man that looked like me?"

Yuzu nodded. "He had the same face as you, and he was dueling against someone named Sora. And when I heard your voice, when I heard you shouting my name, my bracelet shone and" – Yuzu paused to look at Yuya, whose face had suddenly twisted and become unreadable – "and that man disappeared. That's when you showed up."

She paused again, scanning Yuya's face. Her own face fell. "You don't believe me," she said.

"No, no, it's not that," Yuya said quickly, waving his hands in front of him. "It's just…"

"I don't blame you, you know," Yuzu said, turning away. She stared at the chalkboard. "I know it sounds crazy. But it's true. I saw it with my own eyes. Or, at least, I think I did."

Yuya knew it was true – at least the part about Yuzu's bracelet shining. The moment she had mentioned it, he recalled the day following his duel against Strong Ishijima, when her bracelet had flashed as the white motorcycle passed them.

"Yuzu, I…"

"Let's just forget it, all right?" Yuzu was looking at him again. She smiled amicably but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Maybe I was just tired, or scared, or something, you know. Maybe I was just seeing things."

Yuya looked down at his desk.

"Yeah, that's it," said Yuzu. She let out a small laugh. "I was just seeing things. It was all in my mind. There's no way someone could have the same face as you, Yuya. Or me. That's just ridiculous."

"The same face as you?"

"Never mind the small details," Yuzu replied.

She pushed her chair back and stood up, grabbing the bookbag resting on the side of the desk.

"Come on," she said. "We'll be late to You Show if we don't hurry. It's lecture day, after all, and you know how my dad gets when we come in late on those days."

She made her way to the door, stopping at the doorframe when she realized she couldn't hear Yuya's footsteps behind her. She looked back, seeing him still sitting at his desk, inert.

"Yuya?"

This seemed to rejuvenate his attention. Perfunctorily, Yuya rose from his seat, grabbed his possessions and walked over to Yuzu.

"Sorry," he said, feigning a smile. "You're right. Let's go before we're late."

 **0-0-0-0-0**

When the two of them opened the classroom door ever so slightly, Shuzo was already in the middle of a lecture. Yuya poked his head into the dimly lit room, noticing Ayu and Futoshi half-asleep at the back of the class. Tatsuya sat at the front.

"So, then," Shuzo said, "if I wanted to Tribute Summon a Level 7 monster, how many monsters would I have to release before I could do it?"

Yuya looked at Yuzu. He placed a finger over his lips, signaling for her to be quiet. Yuzu simply rolled her eyes; it wasn't the first time they snuck into the classroom.

"Two monsters," Tatsuya answered from the front.

Shuzo nodded twice. "Good, good, Tatsuya. I would need two monsters."

Yuzu and Yuya watched this interaction a little while longer. "You go ahead," Yuzu whispered. "I'll be there in a minute."

Yuya nodded his head, quietly tiptoeing into the classroom. He took a seat next to Ayu and Futoshi, careful not to draw attention to himself.

Yuzu gently closed the door behind him, then walked into the foyer of the school. It was relatively plain, only containing a bench and a couple chairs. She sat on the bench, swinging her legs this way and that.

She reached into her pocket, retrieving her deck. She turned it over, staring at the card on the bottom: Polymerization.

She thought about the masked man's reaction when Sora used the card, thought about the way he recoiled, how his body became stiff and defensive.

 _Why did he respond that way when Sora played this card? What made him act like that?_

She was still wondering this when he approached her. She didn't know how long the boy had been standing there – she had only now noticed him because his shadow had fallen on her.

She looked up at the redheaded boy, mesmerized by his downward-spiking hair. He was dressed in an orange jacket with a medal underneath its pocket protector. He stared back at the girl with his cool, green eyes, smiling wide.

"Hello," he said, in English. "This place is You Show Duel School, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is," Yuzu stuttered. "Do you have some business here?"

"You could say that I do, Yuzu Hiragi."

Yuzu nearly dropped her deck. How did this guy know her name?

"You know about me?" she asked, careful not to sound too suspicious.

"I guess I am in the right place, then." The boy laughed, taking a step closer to Yuzu. He put his arm out, touching the wall behind the bench and pinning Yuzu in place. "Yes, I know that you're the daughter of this school's principal, right?"

Yuzu gave a half-nod. "You are…"

"Oh, how rude of me. My name is Dennis. Dennis Macfield."

"Dennis," she repeated.

"My dream is to become an aspiring Entertainment Duelist."

Yuzu tried to shrink away from the boy – Dennis – but with the limited space she had it was difficult.

"T-that's my goal, too," Yuzu said.

"It's a wonderfully noble goal, isn't it?" Dennis said with a heartfelt sigh. "You know, I believe that anyone can be friends through dueling. In a duel, two duelists' hearts resonate with their passion, and they can hear each other the loudest.

"My goal is to bridge the problems of this world with my dueling, just as the great Yusho Sakaki had."

"Yusho Sakaki? You mean…" Yuzu wasn't sure what to say.

"That's right," said Dennis. "The legendary Action Duel pioneer. I respect him from the bottom of my heart. He's the man who inspired me to duel."

Yuzu recalled a memory of her father dueling against Yuya's father in the past. She remembered a similar feeling of being fired up watching the two of them.

"And I want to be your friend too, Yuzu," Dennis continued. He reached behind his back, retrieving a Duel Disk. "So, what do you say to a friendly duel, as a fellow aspiring Entertainment duelist?"

Yuzu broke eye contact. "I…"

"She's this way," said a voice that Yuzu recognized as Yuya's. She was relieved when her father came around the corner with Yuya and the others in tow. They all stopped simultaneously when they saw Dennis hovering over Yuzu. It was like clockwork.

"What's…going on here?" Shuzo asked, changing his gaze from Yuzu to Dennis in rapid succession, noticing the latter was too close to his daughter for comfort.

"Forgive me," Dennis said, bringing his arm back to his side. He walked over to the group. "My name is Dennis Macfield. I'm an LDS exchange student, from the Broadway division. I wish to transfer here, to your school."

Whatever enmity Shuzo had felt toward Dennis washed instantly washed away.

"An LDS student? Transfer?" The words were too good to be true. Not only was this a new prospective student, but one that had studied at LDS.

"Yes," Dennis said. "I hope that's not too much of an imposition."

"No, no, not at all," Shuzo answered, perhaps a bit too quickly and a bit too eagerly. "How soon can you start?"

"How does today sound for you?"

Shuzo grinned, and Dennis had his answer. The red-haired boy chuckled, turning to face the other four duelists behind Shuzo. Yuya in particular caught his attention.

Dennis's eyes widened and it took everything he had not to gasp.

 _Why does he look so much like…?_

He closed his eyes, trying to forget the thought.

Yuya stepped forward. "My name is Yuya Sakaki, and this is Ayu, Futoshi, and Tatsuya."

"So you're my new classmates. It's nice to meet you all."

"Nice to meet you," the three kids parroted.

"Wait," Shuzo said under his breath. "An _LDS_ transfer student…"

He had a sudden idea.

"Ahem." He cleared his throat to get Dennis's attention. "We here at You Show have a proud tradition, Dennis."

"A tradition?"

"That's right. When we get a new student, as part of their initiation into our school, we ask that they duel one of our current students."

"Eh?" Futoshi looked askance at Shuzo. "But, Principal, Tatsuya's new and he didn't have to…"

Ayu and Tatsuya, quick to understand Shuzo's train of thought, shushed Futoshi.

"Are you up for it, Dennis?" Shuzo asked.

"Of course!" Dennis said. He looked over his shoulder, in Yuzu's direction. "Then my opponent is…"

"That's correct," Shuzo nodded. "Your opponent is none other than Yusho Sakaki's son, Yuya!"

This surprised both Dennis and Yuya.

"Eh? Me?" said the latter, pointing to himself. "You want me to duel an LDS student?"

"Former LDS student," corrected Shuzo.

Yuya and Yuzu looked at each other.

Within three minutes, Yuya and Dennis had taken the places in the duel room. Shuzo sat in the control room, flipping through Action Fields. Yuzu and the others stood in the spectator's room.

Dennis attached his Duel Disk to his arm, tapping it a few times. "You know, as Yusho Sakaki's son, I'm interested in seeing the Entertainment duel that you learned from your father."

"Huh? You know of my dad?"

"I'm his biggest fan," Dennis said. "In fact, it's my goal to one day be his successor."

"His successor?" Yuya let those words settle in his mind. He wasn't sure if they were good or insulting but he had a feeling he would soon find out.

"In honor of Yusho Sakaki," said Shuzo through the control room microphone, "I've decided to pick the Action Field where he performed his best."

He hit a button on the Real Solid Vision Machine and the Action Field Spell appeared.

"Action Field, on! Field Magic! Magical Broadway!"

He hit the Enter key, and the room faded into the background. Replacing it was a glittering theatre district. Playhouses, dance studios, and movie theatres lined the streets. Obnoxious billboards, flashing spotlights, and colorful shapes coated every visible inch of the field. A shooting star blazed by above the two duelists.

"Duelists locked in battle!" Yuya began.

"Uhh…" Dennis looked to his left and right. _What am I supposed to say? They didn't tell me about this part!_

Thankfully, Futoshi continued, "Kicking against the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters!"

Tatsuya said, "They storm through this field!"

Shuzo continued, "Behold! This is the newest and greatest evolution of Dueling!"

"Action…" Futoshi, Ayu, and Tatsuya said.

"Duel!" Yuya shouted. Dennis followed his lead, saying the word two seconds late.

The ball of Action Cards above them burst, sending down a flurry of Action Cards.

 **(Yuya Sakaki: 4000 LP/Dennis Macfield: 4000 LP)**

 _This will be my first time facing an LDS student,_ Yuya thought, giving Dennis a quick once-over. _I wonder how he fights…_

"You can have the first turn," said Yuya.

"Oh? That's very kind of you. I'm honored," Dennis said, bowing in a gesture of gratitude. He stood up and the pink light from his Duel Disk tray flared. "Very well, then. It's my turn!"

He fanned his hand out and surveyed the cards. Carefully selecting one, he turned it over.

"When neither of us controls a monster, I can Special Summon this guy from my hand in Attack Position. Come, Entermage Stilts Shooter!"

As he placed the card on his Duel Disk, a hoop of light formed on the ground. Rising from it was a jester. He was garbed in an orange cape, purple armor with spiral motifs, and a cone-shaped hat that rested above his curly blond wig. He stood on long green stilts that were taller than him, which he used to stamp on the ground. (2200 ATK)

"Enter _mage_?" Futoshi said, scratching his head.

"I've never seen those," Ayu replied. She and Futoshi looked to Tatsuya.

"Don't look at me," said the blue-haired boy, putting his arms in front of him defensively. "I've never heard of them either."

"However," Dennis added, "for the remainder of the turn, I'm not allowed to Normal Summon any other monsters." He sighed for dramatic effect and said, in English, "That's life."

"A Level 6 monster right out of the gate," Yuya muttered.

"Continuing, I activate the Spell Card, Barrier Bubble!"

Dennis played the card, and a litany of tiny, iridescent bubbles surrounded Stilts Shooter.

"We'll get to that later," he said, grinning. "After all, a magician never reveals his tricks.

"Now, with that I end my turn."

Yuya looked at the monster, then at the Spell, and finally at Dennis. He was now beginning to understand why Shuzo had orchestrated this duel.

He couldn't help but smile as he reached for his deck. "My turn, draw!"

Yuya drew and looked at his hand, which contained two Pendulum Monsters. Unfortunately, with their Scales being 3 and 4, he couldn't use them together. He had a plan, however.

"I summon Entermate Warrior Tiger!"

Yuya's newest monster was dressed in a maroon ringleader's vest and a marching hat, custom-fit with shiny badges, cufflinks, and frilled epaulets. Green parachute pants billowed around its legs as it took a few steps forward, its bell-covered shoes clinking with each step. It gave Dennis an amiable four-fingered salute with its right hand. (1700 ATK)

"Now, I," Yuya continued, turning a card in his hand over, "using Entermate Partnaga, set the Pendulum Scale!"

He placed the card at the leftmost zone of his Duel Disk, and a blue pillar of light spawned. Ascending from the ground was the red-and-yellow striped snake. (Scale: 3)

Futoshi was astonished. "Eh? Just one scale?"

"It's possible to only set one scale, I suppose," Tatsuya said hesitantly, turning from Futoshi to Yuya, "but why?"

Dennis's eyes went wide. He frantically pointed to Partnaga. "My God! What is that? And what's a Pendulum Scale?"

From the spectating room, Yuzu knitted her brows. In the past few days, she couldn't turn on a television or listen to the radio without hearing someone talking about Pendulum Summoning – it had taken the whole world by storm, it seemed. She wondered how it was possible that someone hadn't yet heard of it.

"It will all make sense shortly, I promise," Yuya said. He realized he would probably have to get used to people asking these questions. "But for now…"

He pointed to the card on his left.

"I activate Entermate Partnaga's Pendulum Effect. For each Entermate card I control, I can give one monster on my field 300 ATK, until the end of the turn. Become stronger, Warrior Tiger!"

Partnaga stuck its tongue out and hissed. Instantly, Entermate Warrior Tiger was cloaked in a golden energy. It flexed its muscles until the aura faded. (1700 – 2300 ATK)

"I see now," Yuzu said, lightly punching her open palm with a fist. "It was for that effect."

The three children looked at her in confusion.

"It's true that you need two cards in the Pendulum Zone to enact a Pendulum Summon," she told them. "But just setting one still allows for its effect to be used."

The three looked at Yuzu, then at each other.

"Like this," Yuya said, "my Warrior Tiger is stronger than your Stilts Shooter. Go, Warrior Tiger. Attack his monster!"

Warrior Tiger opened its mouth and blew. A stream of bubbles shot forward, each one attaching to a different part of Stilts Shooter's body. The bubbles unexpectedly burst all at once, causing a smoky explosion.

Preemptively, Yuya said, "When Entermate Warrior Tiger destroys an opponent's monster by battle, I can add one Entermate Pendulum Monster from my deck to my hand."

His hand slid to his deck, but froze in place as the smoke cleared. He couldn't believe it.

Entermage Stilts Shooter was still alive.

"Tada!" Dennis said, again in English. "Pretty impressive, wouldn't you say?"

"How did your monster survive the attack?" Yuya questioned.

"I suppose I haven't been entirely forthright with you," Dennis replied, pointing to his Spell Card, which was now shining. "You see, the first time an Entermage monster of mine would be destroyed, Barrier Bubble can negate that instance of destruction."

Yuya made a face. Then he noticed something else that was unusual.

"Hey, wait a minute. Your Life Points haven't changed at all. Even if your monster wasn't destroyed, you should have at least taken damage."

Dennis held up two fingers. "Barrier Bubble's secondary effect prevents me from receiving damage from battles involving my Entermage monsters."

Yuya suppressed the urge to sigh. "So this is what facing an LDS student is like, huh?" he muttered under his breath.

He looked at the cards in his hand: Entermates Sword Fish, Discover Hippo, and Trampolynx, and fourth card. He grabbed the latter and placed it in the slot behind Warrior Tiger.

"I set this facedown and end my turn. At this moment, Partnaga's effect wears off and Warrior Tiger's ATK returns to normal."

Warrior Tiger let out of a sigh of exhaustion. (2300 – 1700 ATK)

"Back to me," Dennis said, pointing his thumb at his face. He drew, saying, "My turn, draw!"

His movements were considerably fluid this time, more expeditious but no less calculated as he plucked a card.

"When there are at least two monsters on the field, I can Special Summon this card from my hand. I Special Summon Entermage Hat Tricker!"

A whirlwind brought forth a billowing green cloak, white-gloved hands, comical spectacles, and purple wizard's hat with stars and three pointy spikes. But that was it; there was no monster inhabiting the clothing – or if there was one, it was invisible. (1100 ATK)

"For my next trick," Dennis continued, "I Normal Summon Entermage Flame Eater."

A spinning ball of flame roared on Dennis's field. The flames dissipated, revealing the monster. It was a black bomb, complete with cartoonish googly eyes, a red cape, and a blue wizard's hat. A fuse was attached to it like a tail. It opened its jagged mouth and belched fire. (1200 ATK)

"Before we get to the main event," said Dennis, still smiling, "I should tell you this: Entermage Flame Eater, when summoned, inflicts 500 points of damage to both players."

The bomb's fuse suddenly lit. Yuya watched the wire shrivel until, at last, it was gone. When that happened, Flame Eater opened its mouth, launching a fireball at Yuya, who quickly braced himself. The attack pushed him back, but he kept his footing, waiting for Dennis to receive the same treatment.

But it never happened.

 **(Yuya: 3500 LP/Dennis: 4000 LP)**

After an infinitesimal amount of waiting, Yuya furrowed his brow. "Uhh," he said impatiently, stretching the word out, "aren't you also supposed to take damage?"

Even before he had finished speaking, he noticed it. One of the gold stars on Hat Tricker's cap was now glowing.

"Entermage Hat Tricker's monster effect," Dennis replied. "When I would take damage from a card effect, I can add an Entermage Counter on this card. My damage then is reduced to 0."

"Tch…"

"And that's not all, Yuya," Dennis said with a smirk. There was newfound ardor in his eyes. "Both Hat Tricker and Flame Eater are Level 4, which means I can do _this_!"

Both monsters compressed into balls of light, one orange and one red, that flew into a spiraling portal in the sky.

Ayu, Futoshi, and Tatsuya were dumbfounded. They had never witnessed an Xyz Summon in person.

Yuzu watched in solemn silence. Despite the parade of colors that came from Dennis's side of the field during the summoning, she never took her eyes off Yuya; she watched his every move.

"I, using the Level 4 Entermage Hat Tricker and Entermage Flame Eater, construct the overlay network!" shouted Dennis. "Show must go on!"

A brass trapeze bar flew into the air, spinning in circles. Abruptly, the bar stopped moving, and golden ropes formed on its ends. Bright motes of light coalesced to create the luminous silhouette of the monster that was now swinging on the bar.

"Artisan of the air, swing across the stage with grace! Xyz Summon!"

The two gold ropes vanished. The monster fell to a halt in midair, raining colorful sparkles of light as it revealed itself to its audience. It was dressed in pointy-toed shoes, a purple cape, and a neon silver onesie, encrusted with gold diamonds and green stripes. Frilly pink feather boas were wrapped around its neck and waist. It giggled, raising its mechanical arms to its head, removing its wizard's hat and bowing. It twirled its trapeze bar around like a baton. Two yellow orbs of light rotated around the monster. (2500 ATK)

"Xyz Summon! Appear now! Rank 4, Entermage Trapeze Magician!"

"That's it, Dennis!" Shuzo shouted from the control room. Even he was amazed by Dennis's explosive play. He felt a twinge of loss in his heart as he remembered Yusho, but he wouldn't allow himself to wallow in the feeling for too long. "Xyz! Xyz!"

"Xyz!" Ayu, Futoshi, and Tatsuya parroted, their eyes brimming with wonderment and admiration. "Xyz!"

Yuzu watched Yuya's body tense. The motion was jarringly familiar. It reminded her of the reaction that man had when Sora performed a Fusion Summon.

A fleeting thought crossed her mind and she was unable to stop it. _Could it be…was that man really Yuya?_ She put a hand over her chest.

"An Xyz Summon," Yuya muttered. He had only seen a handful of them up close himself, from when he'd attended his father's dueling matches, and he had certainly never been on the receiving end of one.

"I activate Entermage Trapeze Magician's effect!" Dennis declared.

He grabbed one of the cards underneath his monster, and one of the two orbs of light was simultaneously absorbed by Trapeze Magician's weapon.

"During the Main Phase, by detaching one overlay unit, I can choose another Attack Position monster on the field, and that monster can attack twice this turn. However, it's destroyed at the end of the Battle Phase. So, naturally," he said, motioning to his other monster, "I'll be giving this effect to Entermage Stilts Shooter!"

Stilts Shooter was swathed in a green overcoat of light.

Yuya quickly looked around the sparkling plaza for an Action Card. He turned his back to Dennis's monsters and ran, throwing his head from side to side to scan his surroundings.

"Battle!" Yuya heard Dennis shout. "I attack Entermate Warrior Tiger with Stilts Shooter!"

Stilts Shooter jumped down from its stilts, then took one of them in its right hand. Like a javelin, the monster threw the stilt at Yuya's monster with fatal precision.

"Gotcha!" Yuya shouted, grabbing an Action Card that was lying on the sidewalk, in front of a movie theatre. He glanced at it, frowning – it wouldn't be much help in stopping the attack. Instead, he clicked a button on his Duel Disk.

"Quick-Play, Hippo Carnival, activate!"

The green, gold, and orange hippopotamus showgirls appeared to the right of Warrior Tiger, shouting, singing, and making as much noise as possible. (0 DEF x 3)

"This card summons three Hippo Tokens. Moreover, for this turn," Yuya said, stopping and turning to face Dennis, "the only monsters my opponent can attack are these Tokens."

Stilts Shooter's attack veered to the right, impaling the green hippo, which exploded.

"Through Trapeze Magician's effect, Stilts Shooter can attack twice," Dennis shot back.

Stilts Shooter threw its other stilt. The gold hippo burst.

"Lastly, I'll send Entermage Trapeze Magician to attack the remaining Hippo Token!"

Trapeze Magician flew over to the hippo, swinging its weapon. With a clean hit, the last hippo exploded.

"My Battle Phase is over," Dennis said, "which means Trapeze Magician's effect would normally destroy Stilts Shooter. However, with Barrier Bubble still in play, Stilts Shooter is indestructible once per turn, even by card effects."

"This guy…He planned that far ahead?" Yuya was floored. It was only the third turn and he already felt powerless.

Dennis looked at the two cards in his hand. Shrugging, he said, "Turn end."

Yuya inhaled, closing his eyes. He remembered his father's words from all those years ago:

 _When you feel like crying, laugh. Let out the biggest laugh you can muster._

He smiled, feeling instantly comforted. "That's right," he said, more to himself than anyone else. "I can't deliver my special entertainment duel if I don't believe in myself. I can't do anything if I'm frozen in fear."

A hearty laugh erupted from Yuya's lips, lasting a good six seconds. He looked at his Duel Disk.

"Here I come, Dennis," he said. "My turn, draw!"

He made his draw, surprised to see what the card was. It seemed he still had a chance after all.

"From my hand I activate a Spell Card, Entermate Cast Change!"

He took the three monsters in his hand and lifted them above his head.

"With it, I shuffle the Entermate monsters in my hand into my deck, then draw that amount of cards plus one. I return Entermate Discover Hippo, Sword Fish, and Trampolynx to my deck…"

He placed the cards on the top of his deck and the Duel Disk auto-shuffled them.

"And draw four cards!" he shouted, doing just that. He picked up one of them.

"Yosh. I summon Entermate Skullcrobat Joker!"

The blond harlequin in the pinstripe pants appeared. He laughed, tipping the brim of his hat until it fell to the ground, which made his laughter all the more boisterous. (1800 ATK)

"When summoned, Skullcrobat Joker adds a certain monster from my deck to my hand, and I choose Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

The card slipped out of Yuya's deck and he grabbed it, putting it at the rightmost point of his hand. Then he grabbed the Action Card resting beside it.

"Action Magic, Illusion Distortion, activate!"

As Yuya played the card, Skullcrobat Joker's body started to convulse violently. Its features became blurred grotesques of their normal appearance.

"This card returns one monster on my field to my hand, and prevents either of us from summoning a monster with the same name until next turn. I choose my Skullcrobat Joker."

"Eh? You're returning your own monster?" Dennis said, stupefied.

Yuya nodded, taking his monster in hand. "Now, I, using the already-set Scale 3 Entermate Partnaga and the Scale 8 Entermate Skullcrobat Joker, set the Pendulum Scale!"

He placed the card on the opposite end of his Duel Disk, and a second pillar of light was erected, this one harboring the joker. (Scale: 8)

"Like this, I can summon multiple monsters from Level Four to Level Seven from my hand simultaneously!"

He took two of the four cards in his hand.

"Swing, Pendulum of Souls! Draw an arc of light across the ether!"

Two comets of light descended from the sky.

"Pendulum Summon! Come forth, my faithful monsters! Level 7, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

The heterochromatic dragon materialized before Yuya, spinning around once for the You Show spectators' approval. It roared, turning to face Entermage Trapeze Magician. (2500 ATK)

"And my newest comrade, the leader of the Entermate troupe! Level 6, Entermate Hammer Mammoth!"

A new monster appeared, one that stood even taller than Odd-Eyes. Despite the monster's name, the monster was accompanied by the sound of an elephant's trumpet. It was garbed in a yellow vest, and star-covered bands wrapped around its four legs. The mammoth's trunk was several feet long, ending in, of all things, a rainbow-hued sledgehammer. The creature gave a nonthreatening roar, revealing the small, upward-curving tusks in its mouth. (2600 ATK)

"Wow! Amazing!" Dennis gushed, once more in English. "So this is a Pendulum Summon?"

"Yeah," replied Yuya. "Furthermore, I use Partnaga's Pendulum Effect, targeting Warrior Tiger again. With four Entermate cards currently on my field, it gains 1200 ATK, until the End Phase."

Warrior Tiger flexed its muscles again, which were slightly larger now. (1700 – 2900 ATK)

"Battle Phase! Hammer Mammoth, attack Entermage Stilts Shooter!"

The pachyderm stamped forward.

"Sorry," Dennis said, in English, "but that won't work. Barrier Bubble, the first time an Entermage would be destroyed, prevents that monster's destruction, and I receive no damage."

"I wonder about that," smirked Yuya. "I activate Entermate Hammer Mammoth's effect!"

"What?"

"Hammer Mammoth, when attacking a monster, can return all Spells and Traps on my opponent's field to their hand!"

A strong gust shot forward from the mammoth, blowing Barrier Bubble back to Dennis. Immediately after, the mammoth raised its hammer trunk, dropping it on Stilts Shooter and destroying it.

"He did it!" Futoshi cried, his body convulsing like gelatin. "I can't stop the shivers!"

"Entermage Trapeze Magician's effect," Dennis said, shielding his face with his arm as pinpricks of debris flew his way. "It negates all damage to me that's less than or equal to its ATK score."

This didn't deter Yuya. "Entermate Warrior Tiger, it's your turn. Attack Trapeze Magician!"

Another stream of bubbles came from the tiger.

One of the Action Field's flashing spotlights, emanating from the rooftop of a dance studio, turned to the left, and Dennis noticed something shining out of the corner of his vision, resting on the smooth street: an Action Card.

He somersaulted to his left, deftly grabbing the Action Card. He looked at it and his smiled widened.

 _So this is an Action Duel, huh?_

"Action Magic, Illusion Dance!"

Only two feet away from Trapeze Magician, Warrior Tiger's bubbles abruptly burst. Then it, Trapeze Magician, Hammer Mammoth, and Odd-Eyes started to shake erratically.

"T-they're…" Ayu stammered.

"Dancing?" Tatsuya shouted in disbelief.

"The Action Magic, Illusion Dance," Dennis said. "It changes all Attack Position monsters on the field to Defense Position, until the End Phase."

Sure enough, Dennis's monster dropped to one knee and crossed its arms. (2000 DEF)

"What? Oi, you guys!" Yuya helplessly watched as Warrior Tiger, Hammer Mammoth, and Odd-Eyes fell to earth. (500, 1800, and 2000 DEF, respectively)

"This guy's countering every one of big bro Yuya's moves," Futoshi said. He turned to Yuzu. "How is he supposed to duel like that?"

Yuzu didn't reply. Her gaze shifted from Yuya to Dennis's Xyz Monster and back.

"Big sis Yuzu?" said Futoshi.

"Shoot," Yuya murmured. He took the two cards in his hand. "I set these cards facedown and end my turn. During the End Phase, Partnaga's effect wears off."

"The effect of Illusion Dance also disappears," said Dennis, "meaning all the affected monsters are returned Attack Position."

Trapeze Magician stood (2500 ATK), as did Odd-Eyes, Hammer Mammoth, and Warrior Tiger. (2500, 2600, and 1700 ATK, respectively)

"So, then, it's my turn!" Dennis declared. "Draw!"

He made his draw, and subsequently replaced Barrier Bubble in his Spell/Trap Zone.

"I activate Trapeze Magician's effect! By detaching an overlay unit, I can give another monster the ability to attack twice, in exchange for being destroyed at the end of the Battle Phase."

Trapeze Magician slapped its remaining overlay unit with its namesake weapon.

"Huh?" Yuya's face was the picture of confusion. "But you have no other monsters."

"Heh," Dennis smirked. "With Trapeze Magician's effect, I target Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

Odd-Eyes roared as sparkles of gold light surrounded its body.

"Eh? Big bro Yuya's monster?" said Ayu.

"Continuing, I activate a Continuous Spell Card, Burn Gift!"

A sea of fire ignited on Yuya's field.

"Now, my wonderful audience, watch a super illusion happen before your very eyes." Dennis held up his hand. "One, two, three!"

With the snap of his fingers, the fire died down, revealing an upside down wizard's hat. Inside the hat was a blob of spiked flames with a pair of eyes in the center. A party horn sat underneath its eyes, though it had no visible mouth. (1000 ATK)

"What?" he stammered. "You're summoning it to my side of the field?"

"Tada! Burn Gift allows me to Special Summon a low-Level, Fire-Attribute monster from my hand to my opponent's field. So, with this effect, I loaned you my Entermage Higurumi."

"Giving your opponent your monsters?" Tatsuya said. "What kind of strategy is this?"

"But loans come with a price," added Dennis. "If either Burn Gift or the monster summoned by its effect leaves the field, the lingering card is destroyed, and my opponent is dealt 400 damage."

Yuya felt beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "Tch…"

"Now the stage is set!" Dennis shouted. "It's showtime!"

Trapeze Magician jumped in the air, heading toward Yuya's field.

"I'll be taking that card back now. I send Trapeze Magician to attack the Entermage Higurumi I loaned you!"

"Before that happens," Yuya replied, "I activate the Continuous Trap, Entermate Pinch Helper!"

One of his facedowns lifted, revealing the picture of the pompom-wielding mole.

"This card normally blocks direct attacks, but now I'll use its secondary effect: By sending this card to the Graveyard, I negate all oncoming battle damage from this attack!"

The Trap disappeared just as Trapeze Magician struck Higurumi, sending a spiral of flames Yuya's way.

"However," Dennis was quick to remind him, "when Higurumi gets destroyed, Burn Gift goes to my Graveyard, and you're dealt 400 damage. Take Higurumi's curse!"

Yuya crossed his arms over his face, preparing for the impact. He was shocked when he was thrown back ten feet, landing harshly on his side, and even more so by his Life Point meter.

 **(Yuya: 1100 LP/Dennis: 4000 LP)**

Futoshi gasped. "No way! He was only supposed to receive 400 damage, so how did that guy do an additional 2000?"

Yuya gritted his teeth, forcing himself to his feet.

"It seems I gave you another surprise," Dennis said, flashing an apologetic smile. "You see, Stilts Shooter, when my opponent would take effect damage, can be banished from my Graveyard to increase the amount by 2000 points."

He gave Yuya a thumbs-up. "It was a fantastic save on your part, using that Trap when you did."

Ayu, Futoshi, and Tatsuya released their bated breath in a collective sigh.

"So I'm saved," Yuya said, wiping his brow.

"Not just yet," Dennis said. "When Entermage Higurumi leaves the field, even under my opponent's control, I'm able to Special Summon, from my hand or deck, one Entermage monster. Come forth, Entermage Stilts Shooter!"

No sooner did he say that than a second copy of the stilts-wearing jester emerged. (2200 ATK)

"Stilts Shooter, one more time. Attack Warrior Tiger!"

The jester threw its stilt at the anthropomorphic tiger, striking it through its chest.

 **(Yuya: 600 LP/Dennis: 4000 LP)**

Dennis lowered his head, hiding his face. "I end my Battle Phase. When that happens, Entermage Trapeze Magician's effect will activate, destroying the monster that it targeted."

A ring of fire appeared beneath Odd-Eyes, causing the ground to fissure. The dragon sunk into the bottomless inferno.

"Odd-Eyes!" Yuya yelled at the top of his lungs. He reached for his monster, but it was in vain.

Odd-Eyes was gone.

"Odd-Eyes…" He looked at the card on his Duel Disk, waiting for the device to transport it to the Graveyard. But to Yuya's surprise, the card was sent into the empty slot of his Duel Disk reserved for the Extra Deck.

"W-what's going on?" he wondered. "Odd-Eyes…went to the Extra Deck?"

Dennis's jaw practically dropped to the floor. Remembering that there were spectators watching him, he quickly regained his composure. "Fantastic! Destroyed Pendulum Monsters don't go the Graveyard, but to the Extra Deck?"

"To…the Extra Deck?" Yuya repeated.

Without warning, Dennis took off running down the plaza. He looked up, noticing an Action Card on the rooftop of a haberdashery. He ran into the alleyway beside the store, and in a feat of athleticism that rivaled an Olympian, he jumped onto a garbage can and scaled the wall until he reached the top of the building.

The You Show students were speechless.

"A-amazing," Shuzo whispered.

"Lucky me," Dennis said, keeping his voice even. "Action Magic, Dazzling Fireworks!"

Bursts of reds and blues showered the Action Field, fizzing in the air.

"This card sends one monster on each of our fields to the Graveyard, then deals 500 damage to both of us. Become stars in the night sky, Entermage Stilts Shooter, Entermate Hammer Mammoth!"

Fireworks attached to the monsters' backs, and the two of them were propelled into the air. With a large burst, splashes of color illuminated the black sky. Meteorites of Hammer Mammoth came down, singeing Yuya's skin and clothes.

 **(Yuya: 100 LP/Dennis: 4000 LP)**

"Of course," Dennis said, "Entermage Trapeze Magician negates damage that's less than or equal to its attacking power, so I'll remain unharmed."

Yuya remained noiseless as he looked at his Extra Deck. _Pendulum Monsters go here when destroyed…_

He smiled, looking at the two Pendulum Monsters on his otherwise empty field. _That's right…As long as I have these monsters here, I won't ever be alone. I'll bet it all on this!_

"I activate a Quick-Play Spell, Illusion Balloon!"

Five balloons poofed into existence before Yuya.

"Now, I excavate the top five cards of my deck, and if there are any Entermate monsters among them, I can Special Summon one of them!"

"Oh?" Dennis laughed. "So, then, we don't know what's going to happen, huh? That's fitting of an entertainer!"

"That's right," Yuya said. "I'll make my own future here. Let's go, Illusion Balloon!"

The first balloon popped, revealing Entermate Discover Hippo.

"It's definitely an Entermate," said Yuya, nodding his head, "but it's a little weak."

The second balloon popped, revealing Entermate Call.

"A Trap Card," said Dennis.

Then came the third balloon, revealing Entermate Trampolynx.

"He's getting monsters," Tatsuya muttered, "but none of them are that strong."

The fourth balloon contained Entermate Silver Claw.

"There's a good one!" Futoshi exclaimed, pointing to the monster.

"This is the climax, my audience," Yuya said. "Cheer with me, if you will! Now, then, the fifth balloon!"

It popped, revealing a Pendulum Monster that the three You Show kids had never seen before.

"All right!" Yuya shouted. "This one is Entermate Pendulum Magician, and he'll be the monster that I Special Summon!"

The four other cards returned to Yuya's deck. Then a light shone and a purple-haired man appeared, clad in a buttoned-up red vest and matching top hat, black pants, and silver plates of armor. In his hand he carried a silver medallion with a blue diamond-shaped gemstone at the bottom. He swung the pendulum-like object from side to side like a hypnotist. (1500 ATK)

"Why him?" wondered Ayu. "His Silver Claw has more ATK than that monster."

"Destroyed Pendulum Monsters go the Extra Deck," said Yuya, more as a reminder to himself than to Dennis or his audience. "So, I activate Entermate Pendulum Magician's monster effect!"

The monster's medallion suddenly stopped in front of him, like it was frozen in time.

"If this monster is Special Summoned, I can destroy up to two cards on my field, then add an equal number of Entermates from my deck to my hand. I destroy the Partnaga in my Pendulum Zone and Entermate Pendulum Magician himself, both of which go to my Extra Deck…"

The two cards took a bow and vanished, their traces of existence swept away by the wind.

"And add Entermate Sword Fish and Entermate La Panda to my hand!"

"At the eleventh hour, you drew just the card to get you out of that pinch. I'm impressed," praised Dennis. "But that's the way an entertainer should be, right?"

He chuckled, as if considering his own statement. He went to the side of the building, finding a pipe that ran down to the alleyway. Shimmying down it, he found himself face to face with Yuya again within a minute.

"I end my turn."

Yuya looked at Dennis's monster, then at Barrier Bubble.

 _This is most likely my last draw. If I want to win, it'll have to be this turn,_ he thought. _If I can't draw the card I need, then…_

He gulped, willing away his negative thoughts.

"It's my turn…draw!"

He yanked his deck with all his might, drawing a card and turning it around. His eyes widened – he had never seen this card before. And then it came:

"Ladies and gentlemen!"

"There it is!" Shuzo yelled. "His hot-blooded catchphrase! Burn up even more, Yuya!"

"I currently find myself in a pinch," Yuya said, reciting the words like they were a memorized speech. "I haven't managed to touch my opponent's Life Points yet, and mine are drastically low.

"However, I promise you an event like no other. I'll show you the true power of Pendulum Summoning and give you a dazzling turnaround victory in just one turn!"

The three children started to get excited. Yuzu just watched, still silent.

"But I can't do it alone," Yuya continued. "I'll need a couple assistants, so first I, using the Scale 3 Entermate La Panda and the already-set Scale 8 Skullcrobat Joker, set the Pendulum Scale!"

A pillar of light brought forth an adorable panda in a short magenta vest, held together by an orange and yellow bowtie. Wrapped around the monster's frame was a large French horn, which it blew into. It tried to push the valves on the instrument, but its fingers were too big. (Scale: 3)

"Like this, I can summon multiple monsters from Level Four to Level Seven simultaneously!"

"So you just drew a monster like that?" Dennis asked.

Yuya shook his head, no. "That's not quite the case. But before I get to that, we have to welcome my next assistant. I summon Entermate Sword Fish, whose effect reduces the ATK of Trapeze Magician by 600!"

The pompadour-sporting blue fish materialized (600 ATK), then multiplied and launched its duplicates at the helpless Trapeze Magician. (2500 – 1900 ATK)

"The conditions are met. Now for that Pendulum Summon I was talking about."

A rift in the sky appeared in between La Panda and Skullcrobat Joker.

"As long as I have these monsters here, I won't ever be alone!" Yuya shouted. "From my Extra Deck, I summon Entermate Pendulum Magician, Entermate Partnaga, and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

"Eh?" The three children cried.

"A Special Summon," began Shuzo.

"From the Extra Deck?" Dennis finished.

Sure enough, three comets of lights descended from the rift in the sky, and the sorcerer, the snake, and the dragon made a reappearance. (1500, 500, and 2500 ATK, respectively)

"Destroyed Pendulum Monsters go to the Extra Deck, where you can resummon them," Dennis said, his voice no more than a whisper. "Incredible."

Yuya wasn't stopping now. "I activate Partnaga's monster effect, giving Odd-Eyes 300 ATK for each Entermate monster I control, for a total of 900 ATK!"

The dragon roared responsively as it siphoned the power of Sword Fish, Partnaga, and Pendulum Magician. (2500 – 3400 ATK)

"And Sword Fish's additional effect, when I Special Summon a monster, takes off 600 more ATK from Trapeze Magician!"

Another round of swordfish impaled the flanked the magician. (1900 – 1300 ATK)

"Entermate Partnaga's monster effect prevents my Level 5 or lower monsters from battling," said Yuya, "but this should be more than enough."

"Huh?" Dennis looked at him funny. "How do you figure?"

"Watch," he said, turning his newest card around. "I activate the Pendulum Storm Spell Card!"

A mighty wind whipped around La Panda and Skullcrobat Joker, and they were thrown into the fray. Yuya placed their cards in his Extra Deck slot.

"Pendulum Storm requires me to destroy all the cards in the Pendulum Zone to activate it. In exchange for that, I'm able to destroy one Spell or Trap Card on my opponent's field!"

"Oh no!" Dennis cried. "You don't mean…"

"That's right. I destroy Barrier Bubble!"

Dennis's Spell Card cracked like an egg before shattering into shards.

"This will finish it!" Yuya declared. "Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, attack Trapeze Magician! Spiral Strike Burst!"

Odd-Eyes opened its mouth and shot a potent beam of red energy at the weakened magician, striking it in its chest.

"Trapeze Magician's effect," said Dennis. "I negate any damage less than its ATK."

"Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon's effect activates!" Yuya retorted. "When battling an opponent's monster, the damage it deals is doubled! Trapeze Magician may be able to blot out the original 2100 damage, but it won't stop twice that amount. Reaction Force!"

Odd-Eyes' attack doubled in width, easily consuming Trapeze Magician and burning it to cinders. The stream of fire passed through the magician, then engulfed Dennis, causing him to topple over onto his behind as Action Field dissolved into granules of light and the virtual buzzer declared Yuya the winner.

 **(Yuya: 100 LP/Dennis: 0 LP)**

"He did it," Yuzu finally said.

"Big bro Yuya won!" cheered the three energetic kids.

"That's the way, Yuya!" Shuzo screamed. It sounded like he had tears in his eyes – most likely from witnessing the passionate duel. "I could feel the results of your hot-blooded training!"

Yuya walked over to Dennis, who was rubbing the back of his head. "Ow, ow, ow," said the LDS student.

"Are you alright?" Yuya asked.

"Never better," Dennis replied, pushing against the ground and getting back on his feet. "I guess I still have a ways to go before I'm at your father's level."

"Maybe," Yuya said, "but I know you can make it there some day. Both of us can."

"Yeah." Dennis held his hand out.

Yuya cocked his head, looking at it for a moment. Then he returned Dennis's smile, shaking the boy's hand.

"I guess there isn't just one way of entertainment dueling," said Dennis.

"Huh?" Yuya said. Now he really was confused.

"Oh, nothing."

Before Yuya could ask for clarification, the door to the duel room opened and Shuzo burst in, Tatsuya, Ayu and Futoshi at his heels.

 _Wasn't he just up in the control room a minute ago?_ Yuya thought, sweat-dropping at his principal's fervor.

"So, I don't mean to be forward," Shuzo said, clearing his throat a few times, "but about enrolling in our curriculum…"

Dennis looked from Yuya to Shuzo. "I'd be honored to be a part of You Show."

"All right!" Shuzo shouted at the top of his lungs, causing everyone to cover their ears. "We've got another student!"

He was quickly silenced by a swift smack to the head, administered by Yuzu and her paper fan. It seemed she was back to her old self, too.

"You don't have to be so loud about it," she scolded.

"S-sorry," Shuzo replied, rubbing his sore head. He made a concerted effort to keep his voice at an appropriate volume. "I just can't for the life of me figure out why someone from the Leo Duel School would want to join our school…Not that there's anything wrong with You Show or anything…" Shuzo continued spouting needless excuses.

Shuzo's words had a level of validity, though. Yuya and the others looked to Dennis. Truthfully, they had been wondering the same thing. Just what did You Show possibly have that LDS didn't?

Dennis just chuckled nervously. "LDS was a little too seriously for my liking. This place seems more suited to my preferences."

The You Show students exchanged a look of skepticism, but Dennis's answer seemed to satisfy them, for now. No one questioned it any further.

"Oh!" Shuzo exclaimed. "I have an idea. Instead of continuing my lecture on Tribute Summoning, maybe we can have Dennis tell you guys about Xyz Summoning."

"Xyz Summoning?" Yuzu repeated. She looked down at her bracelet.

"That's a great idea, Principal!" Tatsuya said.

"I've always wanted to learn that," said Futoshi.

"Xyz, Xyz!" Ayu chanted.

"What do you say, Dennis?" Shuzo asked.

"Lead the way," Dennis smiled.

Ayu, Futoshi, and Tatsuya gave joyous shouts as they marched back to the classroom. Shuzo made a quick trip to his office to get the paperwork for Dennis's transfer, taking Yuya and Yuzu along with him to help carry the mountainous load.

Dennis stood there in the duel room, alone. He waited until he could no longer hear any of their voices. Then he detached the Duel Disk on his arm, causing it to fold up into its dormant rectangular shape. He hit a few more buttons and a dial tone sounded.

"What?"

"Hello." Dennis said the word in English, out of habit. "It's me."

"Have you found her?" The voice on the other end was gruff and masculine.

"Roger. I've found and made contact with Yuzu Hiragi. It was a good idea, using the data you collected from the Duel Disk you gave to Sora Shuin'in in order to gather information on her. It made tracking this place down a cinch."

The voice on the other end of the line seemed to ignore Dennis's compliment, much to the chagrin of the latter. "See to it that Yuzu Hiragi doesn't suspect a thing, then bring her here at the first chance you get. It's imperative that she is brought to Academia if we are to achieve our mission."

Dennis saluted, though he knew the person on the other end couldn't see the gesture. "You can count on me."

There was a brief silence between the two. Dennis could hear voices in the background uttering coordinates – no doubt the Obelisk Force. He thought he heard them say something about Maiami City.

"You know," Dennis said, breaking the uneven silence, "there's someone else here. The boy you gave me information on, Yuya Sakaki."

"What about him?"

"Nothing, really. But it's funny. He does look a lot like…"

"That's not important right now. You know your objective. Now, don't let me down."

"You can count on me," Dennis said again. He was about to hang up before remembering something.

"Say," he said.

"What is it?" The voice on the other end of the line was starting to sound impatient.

"Do you know anything about Pendulum Summoning?"

 **0-0-0-0-0**

OCG/Anime/Custom Cards Shown In This Chapter –

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Entermate La Panda (Pendulum Monster)**

Beast/Pendulum/Level 3/Scale 3-3/Effect/EARTH

800 ATK/800 DEF

Pendulum Effect: Once per turn: You can increase this card's Pendulum Scale by 1 (max. 12).

Monster Effect: When a Pendulum Monster you control is targeted for an attack: You can negate the attack. You can only use this effect of "Entermate La Panda" once per turn.

Note: This card is the Jump Victory Carnival 2015 promotional card. It is currently only available in Japan.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Entermate Pendulum Magician (Pendulum Monster)**

Spellcaster/Pendulum/Level 4/Scale 2-2/Effect/EARTH

1500 ATK/800 DEF

Pendulum Effect: If an Entermate monster(s) is Pendulum Summoned to your side of the field: All Entermate monsters you control gain 1000 ATK until the end of this turn.

Monster Effect: If this card is Special Summoned: You can target up to 2 cards you control; destroy them, and if you do, add "Entermate" monsters with different names from your Deck to your hand, equal to the number of cards destroyed, except "Entermate Pendulum Magician." You can only use this effect of "Entermate Pendulum Magician" once per turn.

Note: This card can be found in the Special Summon Evolution pack. It is currently only available in Japan.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Entermage Higurumi (Pendulum Monster)**

Spellcaster/Pendulum/Level 4/Scale 5-5/Effect/FIRE

1000 ATK/1000 DEF

Pendulum Effect: If a face-up Entermage monster(s) you control is destroyed by battle or card effect: You can Special Summon this card from your Pendulum Zone, then take 500 damage. You can only use this effect of "Entermage Higurumi" once per turn.

Monster Effect: If this card on the field is destroyed by battle or card effect: You can Special Summon 1 "Entermage" monster from your hand or Deck, except "Entermage Higurumi."

Note: This card can be found in the Dimension of Chaos booster pack. It is currently related for release in the United States in November, 2015.

Note 2: For this chapter, this monster is only an Effect Monster, and thus only has its second effect.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Illusion Dance (Spell)**

Normal Spell/Action Card

Image: A red-winged fairy diva dancing in between purple curtains.

Effect: Change all Attack Position monsters on the field to Defense Position. Any monster that was changed to Defense Position by this effect is changed to Attack Position at the end of the turn.

Note: This card was first used by Shuzo Hiragi and Yuya Sakaki in Episode 14 of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V." Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Burn Gift (Spell)**

Continuous Spell

Image: A metal box with a skull and crossbones on the side spouting three chains of fire.

Effect: Activate this card by choosing 1 Level 4 or lower FIRE monster in your hand; Special Summon it to your opponent's side of the field. If that monster leaves the field: Destroy this card, and if you do, inflict 400 damage to your opponent. If this card leaves the field: Destroy that monster, and if you do, inflict 400 damage to your opponent.

Note: This card was first used by Dennis Macfield in Episode 57 of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V." Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Pendulum Storm (Spell)**

Normal Spell

Image: Green lightning stemming from Magician of Astromancy and Magician of Chronomancy, causing a typhoon.

Effect: Destroy all cards in each player's Pendulum Zones, then target 1 Spell/Trap Card your opponent controls; destroy it.

Note: This card was first used by Yuya Sakaki in Episode 61 of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V." Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Dazzling Fireworks (Spell)**

Normal Spell/Action Card

Image: A person aiming a rocket launcher filled with multicolored fireworks at a Duel Monster.

Effect: Target 1 monster you control and 1 monster your opponent controls; send those targets to the Graveyard, then deal 500 damage to both players.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Illusion Distortion (Spell)**

Normal Spell/Action Card

Image: A black silhouette reaching out its hand and looking at its distorted appearance in a mirror.

Effect: Target 1 monster you control; return that target to the hand. Neither player can summon monsters with the same name for the rest of this turn.

Note: The above two cards first appeared in this chapter.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Author's Note: Just two days before Yuya's duel against Reiji Akaba, his Pendulum Cards go missing. All he's left with is a note, requesting his presence. With his Pendulum Cards on the line, Yuya is caught in an unwinnable war, especially when the unthinkable happens…Find out next time!

P.S. Sorry this took so long to get out. Among other uncontrollable circumstances, writer's block got in the way. I don't intend for the next chapter to take nearly as long, though, so keep an eye out for it soon. Also, I wanted to thank everyone who's been reading, reviewing, liking, and following up until this point. As an aspiring writer, it really much more to me than words can possibly express, so thank you.


	6. The Forgotten Entertainment Duel?

**Chapter 6: The Forgotten Entertainment Duel?**

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"Come on!" The motorcyclist stood on the edge of the river just outside of, of all places, You Show Duel School. He took the white-bordered card in his hand and held it up to the crystal blue sky. "Shine! Flash! Warp me! Do something!"

Nothing happened – nothing to him, anyway, though he was now aware that his antics were causing a couple of people on the sidewalk to stare, a few more to snicker, and one to even ask if he needed help. He hadn't bothered to ask whether the person had meant medical or professional help.

Snapping his gloved fingers, the biker had a sudden brilliant surge of ideation. _That's it!_

He took the card in both hands and held it above his head, chanting, "With those wondrous and beautiful wings of yours, transport me at light speed! Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!"

And again, nothing happened. He nearly fell over from embarrassment, noticing that the few people that had stopped to watch him had become a full on fifteen-person crowd.

 _Don't these people have anything better to do at noon on a Thursday?_ The thought crossed the blue-haired man's mind as he tried to forget his failings. _And anyway, it was worth a try._

He kicked absentmindedly at blades of grass as he walked over to his white motorcycle waiting for him in the dirt. He leaned against it, listening to the crowd disperse behind him, most likely numbed by the boredom of losing their midday entertainment.

 _Still,_ he thought as a look of solemnity appeared on his face, _I wish I knew how I keep transporting from place to place, or why it chooses where it does._

He stared at the card again: Clear Wing Synchro Dragon.

 _It seems arbitrary, but maybe it's trying to tell me something. Maybe it's trying to lead me to Rin._

He thought of the night Rin was taken from him, and he instantly regretted doing so. He hit the motorcycle seat with a powerful swing of his fist, feeling the loss of his friend – of Rin – clawing at him again like a jungle cat.

But maybe it was true. Maybe Clear Wing was leading him to where she was and he just didn't know it yet.

Being trapped in this dimension for nearly a week had given him a little more insight about his surroundings, at least. He was now sure that this place wasn't the Tops, but was, in fact, the Standard Dimension. He had witnessed enough duels to make this conjecture, though to his annoyance he had not been invited to participate in a single one. If he was forcibly trapped in a dimension with potentially no chance of return, he would at least want to duel once or twice.

And, in fact, now that he thought about it, it seemed like this dimension had no Tops altogether, which meant no Commons, either.

This, at least, gave him a feeling of hope and satisfaction. Wherever Rin was, if she was in this dimension, she wouldn't have to endure the abject pain and suffering that they had both experienced growing up.

And it was this thought that re-energized him. He donned his helmet, placed Clear Wing within its compartment in the inbuilt Duel Disk on the motorcycle, and took his place on the freshly-punched foam seat.

 _Wait for me, Rin,_ he thought, revving his engine. _I'll definitely bring you back._

He rode off into the sunny horizon, leaving an officious wake of dust in his path.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

The weather was balmy, though a few straggling clouds faded in and out of existence. At this time, Yuya was partaking in his favorite class at Maiami Second Middle School, physical education. He and his classmates were out running laps around the track in the hot sun. Being the only duelist in his gym glass, Yuya had a sizeable lead on his classmates. Speed was something he had garnered a lot of from Action Duels, and he moved around the track like a racecar, even lapping a couple kids.

This was the only class he had that he didn't share with Yuzu, and he was currently very thankful for that. It made it easier to think about things, though he wasn't exactly sure how or why.

His mind raced with him as he passed another one of his classmates.

" _ **You're really Yuya, aren't you? The real Yuya?" Yuzu asked, pointing an accusing finger in his face.**_

" _ **What?" Yuya's bewilderment was drawn on his face like a painting. "What do you mean by that, exactly? Who else would I be?"**_

" _ **But you were just dueling against Sora."**_

 _She asked me not once, but twice if I was 'really Yuya,'_ thought the Entertainment Duelist. He shielded his eyes with a hand as a ray of sun hit him. _And then she said that there was someone who had the same face as me._

" _ **Monday night, right before you appeared, there was a man dueling that looked like you."**_

" _ **A man that looked like me?"**_

 _ **Yuzu nodded. "He had the same face as you. And when I heard your voice, when I heard you shouting my name, my bracelet shone and" – Yuzu paused to look at Yuya, whose face had suddenly twisted and become unreadable – "and that man disappeared. That's when you showed up."**_

 _Then she said her bracelet flashed and that man disappeared._ Yuya frowned, lapping two more boys. _Come to think of it, though, I saw her bracelet flash the day after I beat Strong Ishijima, when that motorcyclist passed us on the street. And after that, he disappeared. It was like he had never been there at all. But what does it all mean?_

"Sakaki!"

 _What's going on recently? I just don't…_

"Look out, Sakaki!"

Yuya was now aware of the gym teacher's voice calling his name. He looked up, but it was too late. In his mental absence, he had failed to register that he had gone off the track and was heading for the track wall. With his speed, it was too late to stop himself, and he collided.

"Ow, ow, ow!" he shouted. His arms flailed as he collapsed, and he sat there rubbing his nose with both hands. It did very little to alleviate the pain and the throbbing sensation.

The teacher ran over to Yuya, and some of the boy's classmates slowed down to watch him, like watching an animal exhibit at the zoo.

"You'll be all right, Sakaki," the teacher reassured Yuya, "but you're done for the day. Go to your locker and change into your regular clothes. You can sit and watch until class is over."

"Right," Yuya said, though with his hands on his nose the word came out shrill and nasal.

When Yuya entered the locker room, he noticed something wrong immediately. Namely, the lock on his door had been broken. It was as though someone had used a set of garden shears to cut it open.

When he opened his locker, he found that all his belongings were there, though they had been rearranged. In the very back of his locker was a piece of paper, which contained a sloppily written note.

"Dear Sakaki Yuya," said Yuya, reading the note aloud. "If you are reading this, you have no doubt noticed that your two Pendulum Monsters – Magician of Astromancy and Magician of Chronomancy – are gone."

Yuya, in fact, had not noticed this. Quickly, he reached for his deck, fanning through it and examining every card. Sure enough, the two cards in question were absent. He continued reading.

"If you want to get them back, I'll be waiting at the Amusement Duel fun center at 3:00 pm. Come alone. Sincerely yours," said the letter, but there was no name signed.

Yuya sat on the bench beside his locker, head in hands.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Whether it was female intuition or a good understanding of her friend's mannerisms, Yuzu was quick to spot a change in Yuya. For starters, it was lunch time and Yuya hadn't even touched his bento box.

"I heard you hit a wall in gym class today," Yuzu said, using her chopsticks to pick at the last bits of her rice. Behind them, the clock in the school's courtyard chimed once, signaling one o'clock in the afternoon. Yuzu looked at Yuya. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Yuya said flatly.

Yuzu placed the back of her hand on Yuya's forehead. "You don't seem to have a fever," she said. "But you've been acting a little funny lately."

"I'm fine," Yuya said again. "Really. I've just got a lot on my mind."

"You can tell me about it if you want."

"No, thank you." Grabbing his bento, Yuya stood and turned away. "Excuse me, please, Yuzu."

Yuzu watched him march up to the front doors of the school and disappear behind them. Looking at the sky, she continued to desultorily pick at the remaining grains of rice in her lunchbox, sighing as she did so.

She thought of that girl again, Serena. The image of her had been bothering her for the past couple of days, and she couldn't get it out of her mind for long before it invariably popped up again.

She shook her head and resolved to think about something else. Again, her mind brought her back to Yuya. He had been so enigmatic lately, and she wasn't sure what, if anything, she could do to help him. She was determined to do something, however.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Yuya slumped through the rest of the day, which seemed unbearably long, even for a Thursday. When school was out, he swiftly grabbed his belongings and, walking past Yuzu's desk and into the throng of nattering students, said, "Could you tell your dad I'm going to be late today? There's something I have to take care of."

Yuzu looked at him but didn't push the issue any further. "All right."

"Thanks, Yuzu," he said before vanishing in the sea of bodies.

Luckily, it wasn't a very long walk from Maiami Second to Yuya's destination, and he was there within ten minutes, just in time to make the three o'clock mark.

He looked up at the cube-shaped edifice. "Amusement Duel" was written in big blocky lettering on the north side of the building, the first word in purple and the second in orange. That sign had glowing neon lighting originally, which was now dull and inactive following the condemning of the building. On the west side, large buzz words like "Darts" and "Tennis" were scrawled.

Taking a deep breath, Yuya opened the door to the building.

"So you decided to show after all, Sakaki Yuya," said a voice on the other side. The room was pitch black and it was impossible to see who the words belonged to.

"What did you do with my Pendulum Cards?" Yuya asked, taking an uncertain step into the room.

With that, the lights came on, and he looked around the room. Broken pieces of wood lay on the ground. The walls were cracked and graffiti-covered. The few windows in the room were shattered.

Standing on the other side of the room was a boy wearing the Maiami Second school uniform, emblazoned with a badge at the collar with the initials "LDS" on it. He had brown hair that was dyed blonde at the front tips. Yuya vaguely remembered this boy.

"Wait, you're the guy that I bumped into that one time!"

The LDS kid flared with rage. "Don't you know who I am?" he barked. "My name is Sawatari Shingo, the ace duelist of the Leo Duel School and the son of the future mayor of Maiami City…"

Sawatari reached into his pocket and retrieved two cards, flashing them to Yuya. Magician of Astromancy and Magician of Chronomancy.

"And," he added with a tone of finality, "the new master of Pendulum Summoning!"

"Don't joke around, Sawatari," Yuya insisted. "Do you mean to tell me that you went through all this trouble just because I bumped into you that one time?"

"Of course not," Sawatari said, scoffing. "To think that someone like me would be slighted by a petty duelist like you for something that trivial is insulting."

He shook his head and wagged his finger around. "No, what I want are your Pendulum Cards."

"What?"

"That's right. I saw your duel against Strong Ishijima on television. The moment I saw those Pendulum Cards, I knew that I had to have them. So I asked Papa to use his influence to get me some."

Sawatari made a sour face. "Unfortunately, even with his clout, it wasn't enough to acquire them. It seemed the only person that had access to them was you. That's pretty cowardly if you ask me.

"Anyway," he said, "as you can imagine, this was the next best alternative to getting my hands on them and adding them to my collection of rare cards."

"You dragged me all the way down here for this?" Yuya was beginning to lose his patience. "Just so you could tell me that you're not going to return what's not yours?"

"Of course not," Sawatari said again. He took the Duel Disk from his hip, slid it on his arm, and taking the Pendulum Magicians, put them on top of his deck and hit the auto-shuffle button. "It would be a shame not to use the newest additions to my collection, wouldn't it?"

"Y-you…"

"Ironic, isn't it?" Sawatari said with a chuckle. "Against all odds, your Pendulum Summoning led you to victory against the reigning Duel Champion, but now it will be your very undoing."

Yuya gritted his teeth. A duel was the last thing he wanted right now.

"I'm going to show you," Sawatari said, "that I should have been the one to receive Pendulum Summoning."

"Dueling shouldn't be used as a tool for jealousy or anger," Yuya pleaded. "It should be something fun that everyone can enjoy!"

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy this, all right. And don't get any ideas about backing out now."

Sawatari snapped his fingers and Yuya heard a cluster of footsteps. Standing at the doorway were three kids, Sawatari's friends he presumed. One had reddish-brown hair, another had light brown, and the third had green. And there was one more person with them.

"Let me go!" shouted the pink-haired girl. Her arms were being restrained by the boys.

"Yuzu!" Yuya shouted. _She must have followed me here._

"Oh," Sawatari said. "It seems you have a visitor when I specifically told you to come here alone. You really shouldn't do things I don't plan for, Sakaki Yuya."

"Sorry, Yuya," Yuzu said. "I just thought…"

"Hmm," Sawatari interrupted. "Actually, it's good like this. What good is my first Pendulum Summon if I don't have an audience? Bring her over here, you guys."

Yuzu, still wriggling, was brought over to Sawatari's side of the building, shouting "Let me go" all the way.

"Sawatari, this is too much!" Yuya said. "Let Yuzu go!"

"You know what I want," Sawatari said, holding up the arm with his Duel Disk on it. "I'm waiting on you."

"Sawatari…" Yuya glared at the boy. Without another word, he grabbed his Duel Disk and strapped it on to his arm.

"I'm glad you saw things _my_ way. Now, then, Action Field, on! Field Magic, Wild West Duel Town!"

The voice-automated Real-Solid Vision system responded by showering the field with light. In the blink of an eye, the field transformed into a quintessential Western town, like something from a movie. There was a saloon and some wooden houses with wagon wheels hung on them. Hitching posts and barrels lined the buildings and dirt road. A large welcome sign hung above Yuya's head, reading "Hell River."

From behind Sawatari, Yuzu screamed. Yuya saw the Action Field take hold of her. A rope materialized, and two of Sawatari's cronies tied Yuzu's body and hands to a wooden post in the middle of the ground. She wriggled again but found even less mobility in this set-up.

"Yuzu!" Yuya called out.

"How fitting," Sawatari said. "It's like something out of a western, where the two gunmen fight over the princess."

Yuya didn't bother to correct Sawatari's statement. He took a moment to breathe in deeply.

Sawatari motioned to the door with his head. "You guys keep an eye on the entrance," he said. "I wouldn't want anyone to interrupt my legendary duel."

"Right," said Sawatari's friends, walking past the door. It was just the three of them now.

"Duelists locked in battle!" Sawatari began.

Neither Yuya nor Yuzu continued.

"What a buzzkill," mumbled the LDS attendee. He inhaled and said, all at once, "Kicking against the earth and dancing alongside their monsters, they storm through this field! Behold, this is the newest and greatest evolution of dueling! Action…"

"Duel!" he shouted, out of breath, and Yuya said it with him.

The ball of Action Cards burst, scattering them every which way.

 **(Yuya Sakaki: 4000 LP/Shingo Sawatari: 4000 LP)**

"Tell you what, I'm feeling rather magnanimous," said Sawatari, running his fingers through the blond bits of his hair. "Since you went through all the trouble of coming here to face me, I'll give you the first turn."

Yuya's face twisted into a frown that he trained on Sawatari.

"Go on," Sawatari goaded. "It's best not to keep your audience waiting, right?"

"Yuya!" Yuzu shouted, as if on command.

Yuya's frown evolved into a grimace, but he begrudgingly acquiesced. He looked at the cards he was holding.

"Hold on, Yuzu," he said. "I'll definitely save you, I swear."

Sawatari simply smirked, examining the cards in his own hand, all of which shone with a holographic sheen.

Yuya finally selected one. "I summon Entermate Amenboat."

As he played the card, six spindly, gloved limbs shot forth from one orange body, three on each side. The monster's bushy blue eyebrows fell and rose as it blinked through the eyeglasses resting above its proboscis. It had a built-in gondola on its back above a blue bowtie. (500 ATK)

"Let's go, Amenboat," Yuya urged, jumping into the gondola. But something was wrong. He looked down, toward his monster. "Amenboat?"

Amenboat coughed as it inhaled the arid air. It shifted its footing inelegantly from side to side, as though it feared the sticky heat of the ground would cause its gloves to meld with the earth.

"Isn't it obvious?" Sawatari scoffed. "It's too hot for your pitiful monster to go anywhere."

Yuya grunted, twisted his legs to the right and jumped off his monster. Walking behind it, to where he had been standing, he grabbed another card from his hand.

"I set this facedown and end my turn," he said, and a facedown appeared behind Amenboat.

A stray tumbleweed blew past Sawatari, and he said, "My turn. Draw!"

He drew, then dropped his head to the ground, barely able to contain a not-so-furtive smirk.

 _I guess I really must be chosen by the cards,_ he thought, looking at the card in his peripheral vision: Magician of Astromancy. _To have drawn this immediately is something only a truly skilled duelist can do._

"Prepare yourself, Sakaki Yuya!" Sawatari shouted, raising his gaze to meet Yuya's. "It's time that I showed you the true strength of Sawatari Shingo! I use my…"

A voice Sawatari didn't recognize resounded from his Duel Disk – Reiji's voice. He had been watching the development of the duel quietly, until now. "Wait."

"Eh?" Sawatari was nonplussed for a few seconds as he gave his Duel Disk a quizzical look. Had he imagined the voice?

He shook his head, figuring that that must have been it. He had just imagined it. He took a deep breath and refocused.

"Like I was saying," he continued, grabbing the Pendulum Monster in his hand, "I use my…"

"I said wait," Reiji intoned.

This time Sawatari was sure he heard something. "And just who are you to make demands?" He snarled the words into the Duel Disk, seemingly unaware of how bizarre the action looked.

"If you want your reward, it would be wise to heed my requests."

"Tch…" Sawatari bit his tongue – literally – and suppressed the urge to say something he would later regret. He wondered how much Yuya had heard of his brief conversation, if any, but the Entertainment Duelist was looking past Sawatari, likely to where Yuzu was bound up. The LDS duelist soon decided that Yuya was too preoccupied with rescuing her to have noticed.

"On second thought, it's best that I save that card for the finale," Sawatari said. "I'll start off with this instead. Continuous Spell, Return of the Monarchs, activate!"

A Spell Card appeared with a picture of a large rock monster tearing through the ground.

"With this in play, I can, once per turn, add a high-Level monster from my deck to my hand whenever I Tribute Summon a monster."

Yuya raised an eyebrow. Sawatari clearly had no monsters on his field, so just how did he intend to use that Spell effectively?

"Continuing, I activate the effect of Mithra the Thunder Vassal!"

A mechanical woman in a tight blue bodysuit appeared. She had a tiger-skin loincloth around her waist and a talon-like metal headdress around her head in the shape of a claw. Lightning whirred around her body as she struck a pose. (800 ATK)

"This card can be Special Summoned from my hand, at a price."

Yuya was about to speak when a pool of static electricity crackled before him. The sparks coalesced, and crouching in front of him now was a duplicate of Sawatari's monster. (1000 DEF)

Yuya's only reaction was a stunned "What?"

"When summoned this way," Sawatari explained, aiming a finger at the sparking monster, "Mithra prevents me from summoning any monsters from my Extra Deck this turn, and it gives my opponent a Vassal Token in Defense Position."

He grabbed another card.

"But since it was a Special Summon, that means I can release Mithra to Tribute Summon this guy. Storm forth, Granmarg the Rock Monarch!"

Mithra dissolved in flecks of light. Rising in its place was a ten foot tall construct wearing protective brown armor – Yuya recognized it as the same monster on Sawatari's Continuous Spell. Its arms were built and bulky and its shoulders were covered in gold-plated spikes. It had a belt around its waist with a centered red jewel. (2400 ATK)

Sawatari held up a couple of fingers. "Two things happen now," he said. "First: The effect of Return of the Monarchs allows me to add another Tribute Monster to my hand, and I choose Thestalos the Mega Monarch."

The card slid from Sawatari's Duel Disk and he tugged at it forcefully.

"Second: When it's Tribute Summoned, Granmarg destroys one facedown card on the field."

Granmarg punched the ground, and a tremor advanced from Sawatari's field to Yuya's, impaling the facedown card and shattering it. Wind splattered in Yuya's direction, and he held a fist to his face for protection.

Sawatari showed no sign of halting. "Mithra's other effect activates," he said. "During the turn it's used for a Tribute Summon, I can perform an additional Tribute Summon."

Yuya gasped. "Then that means–"

"Precisely," Sawatari replied. "I release Granmarg the Rock Monarch to Tribute Summon the card I just added to my hand. Storm forth, Thestalos the Mega Monarch!"

A large titan, standing a few feet taller than Granmarg, materialized. It was clad in sleek red armor and around its waist and neck hung flowing blue capes. An avalanche of spikes layered the monster's arms, and five more appeared on its helmet in a claw shape. Fire surrounded the monster, and when it opened its hands two balls of it formed, one in each hand. (2800 ATK)

"Thestalos's monster effect activates," Sawatari continued. "When it's Tribute Summoned, I get to look at the cards in your hand."

Thestalos concentrated its flames in one unified fireball. Taking aim, it threw it at the three cards in Yuya's hand, and they burned. Above Yuya's head, the three cards appeared virtually, their images enlarged and turned to face Sawatari.

"Also," Sawatari said, looking from card to card, "Thestalos allows me to discard one card, and if it's a Monster Card, you receive damage equal to that monster's Level multiplied by 200!"

Sawatari glossed over the first two cards, a Monster Card and a Spell Card, before stopping at the third card: Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon.

"A Level Seven monster." Sawatari tsked in disapproval, shaking his head disgustedly from side to side. "A weak duelist like you shouldn't have such a rare Pendulum Monster as that. This should teach you to stick to monsters that are more suited for someone like you." He said, with a snap of his fingers, "Reduce it to ash, Thestalos!"

Thestalos launched two more fireballs. The first hit the Odd-Eyes in Yuya's hand, forcibly dumping it into the Graveyard. The second struck Yuya's chest dead center, causing the boy to drop to his knees. He swiftly opened his mouth in a desperate gasp for oxygen.

 _This feeling…_ Yuya thought. His chest burned with a penetrating sense of familiarity.

 **(Yuya: 2600 LP/Sawatari: 4000 LP)**

Sawatari's smirk persisted. "As you can see," he added, "summoning multiple monsters in one turn isn't just an exclusivity afforded to Pendulum Summoning."

He then directed his pinky finger at Yuya's Entermate monster. "Now, then, for your pesky Amenboat. Do it, Thestalos! Absolute Prominence!"

Thestalos fashioned a lance out of flame and threw it at the Entermate like a harpoon.

Despite the burning sensation in his chest, Yuya clambered to one knee, reaching a hand out defensively as he did so. "I activate Amenboat's effect. Once per turn, when it's selected as an attack target, I can switch it to Defense Position to negate that attack."

The lightning fizzled into nonexistence as Amenboat crouched. (1600 DEF)

"It has an effect like that?" Sawatari blurted, a little too loud. Clearing his throat a couple times in an effort to save face, he said, "Hmph, that, too, was within my calculations. It's all according to plan."

He looked down at the three cards in his hand, the Pendulum Monster in particular.

 _Why did that guy tell me to wait?_ He briefly considered defying the order – he was starting to grow impatient. He stood there for a while before groaning and deciding against it.

"I end my turn."

Yuya took a breath, torpidly rising to his feet. He looked past Sawatari again, to Yuzu. He vaguely felt something in his chest again, something stirring within him – an annoying, familiar nebulousness – but he ignored the feeling, whatever it was. "My turn," he said. "I draw."

He did just that, and flipping around the card, revealed a Pendulum Monster. He nodded once.

"I, using the Scale 3 Entermate Turn Toad, set the Pendulum Scale."

A solitary pillar of light brought forth an adorable green toad. It wore a spiffy blue vest with a lighter shirt underneath, complemented by a pink-yellow bowtie. The red-eyed amphibian gave a wide, toothless smile that stretched the pink star tattoo on its cheek. (Scale: 3)

Sawatari looked flustered. "So you _can_ set the Pendulum Scale with just one monster after all!" he huffed. When he got the chance, he was going to give a piece of his mind to whoever was on the other end of the Duel Disk's receiver.

Motioning to Amenboat and Turn Toad, Yuya said, "Now, because I control two Entermate cards, I can Normal Summon Entermate Hammer Mammoth without a release."

The big blue mammoth emerged to Amenboat's left, towering over the monsters, duelists, and a few of the buildings. It raised its trunk triumphantly, temporarily eclipsing the sun. (2600 ATK)

Even in her distressed state, Yuzu could see something was amiss. Yuya wasn't doing any of his usual entertainment antics or theatricalities. He wasn't even smiling. Even during his duel against Dennis, when his back had been against the wall, he managed to laugh and make things fun. But now – now it was he had forgotten his Entertainment Duel altogether.

It was like he was an entirely different person.

"Yuya," the girl whispered.

"Next," said Yuya, "I target Thestalos and activate Entermate Turn Toad's Pendulum Effect: Now, until the End Phase, the ATK and DEF points of your Mega Monarch are swapped."

The amphibian did a backflip, then opened its mouth. A burst of white-hot stars shot forth like bullets, each one chipping Thestalos's armor. (2800 – 1000 ATK)

"Next, I switch Entermate Amenboat and my Vassal Token to Attack Position."

The Entermate and the crackling Mithra clone adopted fighting stances. (500 and 800 ATK, respectively)

 _Sawatari has no facedowns. And if these three attacks land,_ Yuya thought, doing a few quick mental calculations, _his life will be 1100. If I can just get the right Action Card, I can end it on this turn. If it's come to this, then…_

As slyly as he could, he surveyed the Action Field with his peripheral vision. An Action Card lay atop a barrel on the wooden porch of a saloon, aptly named Hell River Saloon, just to his right.

Yuya whizzed past his monsters, leaping over the saloon's handrail before Sawatari even had time to react. He rolled forward, landing at the base of the barrel. Quickly bounding to his feet, he grabbed the Action Card – only to see something unexpected.

"An Action…Trap?" he stammered, looking at the card's image. It had a picture of a cowboy aiming his gun at a female hostage.

Sawatari tsked again, his face now appearing on Yuya's Duel Disk screen. "You, of all people, should know that Action Cards aren't solely beneficial. There exist Action Traps, like the one you just picked up: Misfire. It halves the ATK of your strongest monster until the End Phase!"

Yuya said something, but it went unheard as the deafening ring of a gunshot pierced the air, followed by a shrill scream from Yuzu. He turned to see Hammer Mammoth's body crumple, its front left leg now sporting a small circular incision. (2600 – 1300 ATK)

"In any game you play there's an element of risk, after all," Sawatari said.

Yuya made a low growling sound. He looked past the café doors, inside the saloon, and noticed another Action Card sitting on the bar counter. He had an instinctive urge to run and grab it before being struck by a revelation.

 _Sawatari hasn't moved from that spot yet. He hasn't even bothered to search for an Action Card._ He stood still, openmouthed at the realization. _Could it be that this Field only has Action Traps?_

Yuya glanced at the Action Card but shook his head. He walked down the porch steps, retaking his spot behind his monsters. If that truly was the case, he would just have to win this duel without Action Cards.

"So you're smart enough not to walk into the same fire twice, huh?" Sawatari accentuated his rhetorical question with a haughty smirk. "I'm impressed."

Yuya overlooked the gibe. "Battle Phase," he said. "I use Hammer Mammoth to attack Thestalos the Mega Monarch."

Hammer Mammoth willed itself to its feet, despite the shooting pain in its leg. It feebly waltzed over to Thestalos, raising its sledgehammer trunk and dropping it on the Mega Monarch.

 **(Yuya: 2600 LP/Sawatari: 3700 LP)**

Sawatari scoffed, brushing scraps of dust from his jacket. "Hmph, I barely felt such a tepid attack."

Yuya shook his head, smacking his forehead with tangles of green hair. He couldn't allow himself to get caught up in Sawatari's provocation. "Continuing, I attack you directly using Amenboat and my Vassal Token!"

Amenboat crouched down, allowing the Vassal Token to jump into the gondola. With a spirited leap, it administered a perfect jump kick to Sawatari's chest. The boy let out an agitated cry as he fell on his back.

 **(Yuya: 2600 LP/Sawatari: 2400 LP)**

Sawatari scowled, his demeanor completely changing to one of outrage. "When I tell Papa about this," he groaned, groggily regaining his footing, "you're going to be paying for my medical bills, Sakaki Yuya!"

"I end my turn. At this time, the effect of Misfire ends and Hammer Mammoth's ATK returns to normal."

Hammer Mammoth's leg healed as soon as Yuya finished his sentence. (1300 – 2600 ATK)

Sawatari gritted his teeth. _Did he even hear what I just said?_

"Fine," he said. "If you won't respond to that, then I'll beat you down at your own game. Draw!"

He picked up a card, frowned, and turned it around.

"I activate the Spell Card, Trade-In. With it, by sending a Level 8 monster from my hand to the Graveyard, I can draw two new cards. The card I choose is Granmarg the Mega Monarch."

Sawatari slid the card in his discard slot, making two more draws afterward. Then he broke out in a stupid grin.

"That's a good card you've drawn," Reiji said through the boy's Duel Disk.

"Of course it is," Sawatari said, "though it was obvious that someone like me would draw it."

Reiji ignored Sawatari's needless self-praise. "Now, set the Pendulum Scales."

"Eh? Set?" Sawatari took a moment to look at his Duel Disk. "R-right, I'll just…start by…"

Reiji took command: "Place those cards on the furthest sides of your Duel Disk, and repeat after me: I, using the Scale 1 Magician of Astromancy and the Scale 8 Magician of Chronomancy…"

Sawatari hated following orders, but just this once he complied. He placed the cards on his disk. "I, using the Scale 1 Magician of Astromancy and the Scale 8 Magician of Chronomancy…"

This elicited a reaction from Yuya, who had gone wide-eyed. Much to his consternation, he watched as two pillars of light brought forth the two Magicians. _His_ two Magicians.

"Set the Pendulum Scale!" Reiji said. Sawatari repeated it, and the word Pendulum responsively appeared in rainbow lettering on his Duel Disk.

It felt like a dream to Yuya. He watched the Magicians of Astromancy and Chronomancy rise into the sky, their eyes locked on him. (Scale: 1 and Scale: 8, respectively)

Yuya opened his mouth to protest, but only one word came out. "No…"

"All right!" Sawatari smirked. He grabbed the two cards in his hand, both of which were Mega Monarchs. "With these in play, I can Pendulum Summon every card that's in my hand!"

"Wait."

Already lifting the cards over his head in fervent anticipation, Sawatari groaned. "What now?"

"Those monsters in your hand are both Level 8."

"Yeah, so what?"

"You can't Pendulum Summon either of them with those Magicians in play. As it stands, you can currently only Pendulum Summon monsters whose Levels range from Two to Seven."

"What?" Sawatari said exaggeratedly, more than annoyed that he was just now receiving this new information. "Grr…So that's how these guys work, huh? Fine, then, if that's case…"

He turned his back to Yuya and walked over to where Yuzu was being held. He crouched down, meeting her at eye level and reaching behind her back.

"H-hey! What do you think you're doing?" she snapped, feeling far too close to Sawatari for comfort. She wriggled, struggling to loosen the rope around her arms, but it was futile. Sometimes she thought that the Leo Corporation had taken their Real Solid Vision too far. This was one of those times.

"Relax," Sawatari shot back. He stood up straight again, flashing to her the Action Card that he just had grabbed. "I just wanted this."

The LDS student walked back to his spot as Yuzu exhaled audibly. He then turned the Action Card around.

"Oh, lucky me," he smirked. "Action Trap, Negligent Discharge! This card reduces the ATK and DEF of all monsters in my hand by 100 until the End Phase, and also reduces their Levels by 1!"

 _So he really is familiar with this field._ The fleeting thought floated in the back of Yuya's mind.

A rift in the sky opened in between the two stolen Magicians.

"Like this, the conditions are met. Now, Pendulum Summon! Storm forth, Caius the Mega Monarch, Zaborg the Mega Monarch!"

Two comets of light, purple and yellow, fell from the rift like shooting stars. The first brought with it a figure who was garbed in dark, shadowy clothes. It had long, protruding horns growing from its head and bouts of dark fire roaring around its body. It stood at the same menacing height as Thestalos, but its sinister appearance made it look larger. (2800 – 2700 ATK)

The second comet unveiled a monster with slick-backed green hair. It was coated in silver armor, and red horns shot up from its shoulders. Electricity ominously crackled in its hands, which looked more like claws. It had the same animal-esque loincloth around its waist as Mithra and the Vassal Token. (2800 – 2700 ATK)

Sawatari looked down at his hands, which were now shaking in excitement. He burst out laughing like a lunatic, barely able to catch his breath in between gasps.

"Amazing…Awesome, wonderful, marvelous!" he shouted. He held a hand to his chest, feeling his racing heartbeat. "Pendulum Summoning is the greatest feeling!"

Yuya's hung his head in dismay. He felt that annoying burning feeling again. He didn't know how much longer he could ignore it.

"It would be wrong of me to rob you of a taste of it," Sawatari said, still grinning like a shot fox. "Feel the bitter sting of your own creation, Sakaki Yuya! Go, Caius, attack the Vassal Token! Absolute Darkness!"

Like an assassin, Caius vanished from sight, only to reappear behind the Vassal Token, slicing it down with its claws.

The impact of the attack sent Yuya flying back, but the only sound that came from him was that of his body striking the ground. His mouth remained closed as though it had been glued shut.

 **(Yuya: 700 LP/Sawatari: 2400 LP)**

"You too, Zaborg. Attack Entermate Hammer Mammoth! Absolute Rolling Thunder!"

Zaborg fired a focused beam of lightning at the pachyderm, tearing through it in one clean swipe.

Again, Yuya had no reaction. Debris swarmed around him like a plague of locusts, but he lay there on the ground, prone and motionless.

 **(Yuya: 600 LP/Sawatari: 2400 LP)**

"It's a shame I couldn't finish you off this turn." Sawatari sighed. "But no matter. Incidentally, I don't want to quit Pendulum Summoning just yet, anyway. I want to keep experiencing this feeling, more and even more!"

He had another paroxysm of uncontrollable laughter. He gazed at two Pendulum Monsters, his face contorting in a look of stony contemplation. Then he turned his attention back to Yuya.

"During the End Phase, Negligent Discharge's effect wears off, bringing my Mega Monarchs back to their original strength and Level."

Zaborg and Caius were surrounded by respective auras of light and dark. (2700 – 2800 ATK x 2)

"This duel will undoubtedly be finished on my next turn. Now, show me your final struggles."

Silence answered Sawatari. Another tumbleweed rolled by. The boy tapped his foot impatiently, etching shoeprint shaped tattoos in the dusty ground.

"Oi, Sakaki…Sakaki Yuya! Don't just lie there like a wounded animal! Get up and face me!"

But Yuya remained immobile. His eyes were closed; his fingers were scratching weakly at the ground.

"Yuya," Yuzu called out. Louder, she cried, "Yuya!"

"Y-Yuzu." Yuya whispered her name so softly that he wasn't certain he had said it at all. _That's right_ , he reminded himself. _I have to keep fighting to save Yuzu. I can't give up now…_

"Agh…" He started to sit up but found his body was hurting even more than he had registered. Another flare of pain sparked in his chest, and he dropped back down.

 _Just what is this feeling?_ His eyebrows drew together in a pained, frustrated expression. _What in the world is happening to my body?_

Then another thought plagued him. _And why can Sawatari Pendulum Summon? Pendulum Summoning is unique to me; it's what makes me special._

"Damn it." Yuya balled his hands into fists. Another bout of chest pain roared inside him. Beads of sweat began to roll down his forehead. They fell off his chin, furiously hitting the ground with an air of unmitigated hostility. _So then…so then why am I not the only one who can use it?_

Sawatari's mood had flattened completely. He looked down at the wristwatch on his left arm. "Just for your information, there's a time limit that's implemented in these Action Fields," he said. "If you don't take your turn within the next minute, the Action Field will terminate, and I'll be declared the winner by default."

Yuya knew that the Action Field shutting down would mean more than just Sawatari's victory. It would mean that Sawatari wouldn't return his Pendulum Cards. Even worse, it would mean that he failed to save Yuzu.

"I…" Yuya said, still barely audible. He managed to find the strength to push his goggles over his eyes. "I…"

 _When you feel like crying, laugh. Let out the biggest laugh you can muster._

The words fell in and out of Yuya's mind like a disappearing act. He blinked behind his goggles, and at once he was taken back to the memory of his father. He remembered the words fondly, and every time he recalled them he had laughed.

But now it was different; now he couldn't laugh. There was someone else who was using his cards – using his Pendulum Summoning – and he couldn't bear the thought any longer.

"Thirty seconds," Sawatari said.

"Yuya, please," said Yuzu under her breath. She had long since forgotten about her own predicament. She watched Yuya's every movement now.

When Sawatari announced the fifteen-second mark, Yuya stood. The movement was oddly stiff and mechanical at once. Yuzu likened it to watching someone controlling a marionette. She had never seen Yuya move with such a level of despondency before, much less while dueling.

Yuya replaced his goggles on top of his head, an action that was equally mechanical, and met Sawatari's gaze with an inscrutable look, and for the first time since the duel had begun Sawatari looked truly uneasy. There now existed something unpleasantly different about Yuya's aura that even the LDS attendee noticed, and he didn't much care for it.

"Draw," Yuya said, doing just that. He looked to the two cards in his hand. "Set."

His two cards appeared facedown behind his lonely Amenboat.

"Turn end."

Sawatari brushed off Yuya's nascent laconicism. Sneering, he said, "And after going through all the trouble of coming here to retrieve your precious Pendulum Monsters, you couldn't even Pendulum Summon once. It's true that I don't know how you acquired those cards in the first place, but I know now that you're not the person who should be wielding them. The one who truly deserves the Pendulum Cards is me, Sawatari Shingo!

"Now, get ready for your final requiem, Sakaki Yuya. My turn, draw!"

Sawatari smirked as he looked at the card he had drawn: Mobius the Frost Monarch.

 _Perfect. Since it's a Level 6 monster, I can Pendulum Summon it right away._

Reiji's voice came quickly, before Sawatari even had time to speak – there was one more theory that he had to test. When he spoke, however, his words came out even and unrushed. "Pendulum Cards, after their activation, are most likely considered to be Spell Cards."

"Huh?" It only took Sawatari a moment to understand, however, and his smirk deepened when he did. "Oh, I understand now."

Caius the Mega Monarch dissolved into motes of light.

"I Tribute Summon Mobius the Frost Monarch!"

Taking Caius's place was a ten foot tall titan in icy blue armor and a matching cape. It wore silver spiked knuckles, and all around its body were crimson-trimmed strips of metal-reinforced plate armor. (2400 ATK)

"Mobius, when Tribute Summoned," said Sawatari, pointing to the facedown directly behind Amenboat, "can destroy two Spell or Trap Cards on the field. So, then, with this effect I choose to destroy that card and…"

He then gesticulated to the sole card in Yuya's Pendulum Zone.

"Entermate Turn Toad!"

It was Yuzu who spoke up. "You can't destroy a monster with that effect!"

"Sorry, but it just so happens that Pendulum Cards, once they're activated, are treated as Spell Cards. Do it, Mobius! Freeze Burst!"

A torrent of icy spikes shattered one of Yuya's facedown cards. The spikes snaked their way up the pillar of light, piercing Turn Toad through the chest. The helpless creature exploded.

"Destroyed Pendulum Monsters are sent to the Extra Deck," said Yuya, placing Turn Toad in his otherwise empty Extra Deck slot.

In his control room, Reiji's eyes narrowed at this new revelation.

"Moreover," Sawatari went on, "since I Tribute Summoned, I can use the effect of the Return of the Monarchs Continuous Spell, adding Raiza the Storm Monarch to my hand from my deck."

He grabbed the card.

"That means I can now Pendulum Summon it! Storm forth, Raiza the Storm Monarch!"

Standing in between Mobius and Zaborg was a ten foot goliath. Covered from head to toe in green armor, the monster brought with it blustering gales. The facemask that it wore ended in yellow birdlike feathers. (2400 ATK)

"Battle. Raiza, attack Entermate Amenboat! Hurricane Cutter!"

Raiza sent threatening gusts of wind in Yuya's direction.

"Amenboat's effect," said Yuya in response.

Amenboat crouched down, and the gusts dwindled, becoming innocuous zephyrs. (1600 DEF)

"That was within my calculations," Sawatari retorted. "Mobius, attack! Ice Lance!"

A spear of ice formed in Mobius's hand that it threw at the Amenboat. It tore through the gondola, destroying the creature.

Sawatari gave Yuya a condescending look. "This will settle it. Attack, Mega Zaborg! Absolute Rolling Thunder!"

Zaborg's clawed fingertips drizzled with shockwaves of electricity. It pushed its hands out, claws pointing to Yuya, and sent ten separate arrows of thunder his way.

"It's over, Sakaki Yuya!"

Yuya looked completely unfazed by the oncoming attacks. "Quick-Play Spell: Illusion Balloon."

His remaining facedown lifted. Consequently, the five rainbow balloons appeared.

"I can now summon an Entermate monster from the top five cards in my deck."

Sawatari made an irritated grunting noise. "You're staking your survival on a game of chance? That's something you can't calculate for."

Yuya didn't answer. Instead, he drew card after card. The balloons popped, revealing the cards inside. First was Entermate Call, then Hippo Carnival, followed by Pendulum Storm and Entermate Pinch Helper, respectively.

"Four cards and no monsters." Sawatari laughed at this. "Go on and draw your last card."

Yuya looked down, glaring at his deck. His lips were drawn in a perpetually deepening scowl.

"Yuya!"

The boy lifted his head, transferring his glare to the person who had just called his name: Yuzu.

"Smile!" she urged. "I know it seems hard, but don't give up. Keep smiling, just like your dad always did, and you'll find a way to win this duel. I believe in you. So…so smile, please!"

 _Yuzu…_

When Yuzu uttered the last word, Yuya immediately clutched his head, which was pounding like a drum. His vision clouded. He shook his head in spite of the pain, and when he looked back to Sawatari, he had the same look of indifference in his countenance. He was not smiling.

Yuzu felt a hurtful pang in her heart. Her face fell. Had she not made a difference? Had her feelings not been strong enough to reach him?

"Draw," said Yuya, drawing and turning the card over. "Entermate Fire Mufflio."

A ring of fire scorched the ground, bringing with a blazing white lion. It wore a flame retardant top hat, bowtie and green vest. Fiery embers covered its muzzle and ears. Its thin tail ended with a small flicker of fire, like candlelight. It lifted its head and gave a commanding roar. (800 DEF)

Zaborg's thunder shot through the monster instead, and Yuya placed it, too, in his Extra Deck.

Despite Fire Mufflio being another unplanned interruption, Sawatari had an uncharacteristic level of aplomb. He shrugged his shoulders contentedly.

"I end my turn," he said. "Though with no cards on your field or in your hand, you might as well just save yourself the embarrassment and quit now."

Yuya looked at Sawatari, and for a split second the LDS student could have sworn he saw the boy's eyes light up. Sawatari vigorously rubbed his own eyes as Yuya proceeded.

"My turn," he said, drawing his card and immediately playing it. "Spell Card, Magician's Card."

He pointed to Sawatari's three Monarchs, his Continuous Spell, and the two Pendulum Magicians, and then held up six fingers, three on each hand.

"I draw one card for each card you control, and reveal my hand."

"Drawing six cards in one go?" Sawatari shouted.

Yuya drew, turning all six cards around: Entermate Pendulum Magician, Entermate Trampolynx, Entermate Partnaga, Entermate Call, and two Spells, Shuffle Reborn and Wonder Balloon.

While Sawatari was assessing Yuya's cards, the You Show duelist grabbed the penultimate one.

"Shuffle Reborn, activate," he said. "This card, while I control no monsters, Special Summons one monster from my Graveyard, with its effects negated. Return to me, my monster servant. Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

A hoop of dark light spawned in front of Yuya, bringing forth Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon. (2500 ATK)

He took the first two cards and two columns of light preemptively appeared at his side. "I, using Entermate Pendulum Magician and Entermate Trampolynx, set the Pendulum Scale."

The sorcerer appeared first, swinging its pendulum-like item around. (Scale: 2)

Next was the fuzzy purple lynx with the trampoline on its back. (Scale: 4)

"With this, I can Pendulum Summon Level 3 Monsters from my hand or Extra Deck."

"From the Extra Deck, too?" Sawatari parroted, more for the sake of clarity than in surprise.

"Revive, Entermate Fire Mufflio!"

A stream of light returned the flaming Entermate monster to the field. (800 ATK)

Yuya added, "Pendulum Magician's Pendulum Effect: When an Entermate monster is Pendulum Summoned, all Entermate monsters gain 1000 ATK, until the End Phase."

Fire Mufflio's mane doubled in size as it roared again. (800 – 1800 ATK)

"Trampolynx's Pendulum Effect: When I Pendulum Summon, I can return a Pendulum Card to the hand. I return Trampolynx."

The pillar of light vanished as Trampolynx fell back into Yuya's pile of cards.

Sawatari was admittedly having a hard time keeping up. "Wait a minute!"

Yuya didn't. "Shuffle Reborn's secondary effect: By banishing this card from my Graveyard, I return one card on my field to my deck, then draw once. I return Pendulum Magician."

Yuya pocketed the Spell Card and the second pillar of light disappeared as the Pendulum Card entered Yuya's deck. He drew a replacement.

"I discard my entire hand to activate the Continuous Spell, Wonder Balloon."

Yuya took the four cards in his hand and discarded them.

"Yuya." Yuzu blinked in awe at this development. _He…threw away his Pendulum Cards._

"For each discarded card," said Yuya, "your monsters lose 300 ATK."

Sawatari gasped as Mega Zaborg, Mobius and Raiza began to wobble. Their armor became rusted and chipped. (1600 ATK and 1200 ATK x 2, respectively)

"Battle. Fire Mufflio attacks Mega Zaborg."

The lion charged forward, sinking its teeth into Mega Zaborg's armor. The warrior's body was overwhelmed in fire as it exploded. Sawatari grumbled as he took the residual damage.

 **(Yuya: 600 LP/Sawatari: 2200 LP)**

"Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, attack Raiza the Storm Monarch!"

Odd-Eyes dutifully obeyed, sending a burst of fire through the monarch's chest, incinerating it from the inside out. The backlash knocked Sawatari on his backside, though the soft ground of the Action Field left him relatively unharmed.

 **(Yuya: 600 LP/Sawatari: 900 LP)**

"If only he could have used Odd-Eyes' effect to deal twice the damage," Yuzu said.

Then, to her surprise, Sawatari laughed. It was a nasty, prideful laugh that made her shiver.

"After all that time, you only managed to Pendulum Summon one monster," he said. "And on top of that, it was only a Level 3 monster. And on top of _that_ , you couldn't even finish me off with your strongest Pendulum Monster!"

Sawatari laughed again. "And I happen to know about Shuffle Reborn's additional drawback. At the end of the turn, your Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon will be banished. Face it, this duel is–"

"Fire Mufflio's monster effect," interrupted Yuya. "When my Pendulum Monster destroys an opposing monster, its Attack Points increase by 200 and it can attack again."

Fire Mufflio roared as loud as it could and the flame from its mane formed a ring of fire that wrapped around Odd-Eyes. The dragon gave a roar of its own in response. (2500 – 2700 ATK)

Sawatari laughed ceased. "But…but that's not possible," he said. "No way, no way, no way!"

"Go, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon. Attack Mobius the Frost Monarch. Spiral Strike Burst!"

Sawatari could do nothing but stare as Odd-Eyes leapt into the air, casting a shadow on the entire Action Field. A hot stream of red flame came from the monster, twisting around Mobius, melting its ice, and annihilating the monster.

Sawatari couldn't feel the ground underneath him anymore. As the Action Field dissolved into granules of light, his body was flown to the other side of the room. He felt a sharp pain in his shoulder as he collided with the concrete wall, knocking the wind out of him.

Specks of dissolving light encircled the room as Hell River was replaced with the run-down fun center. And in the middle of the room stood Yuya, his body swaying this way and that in a gentle rhythm.

 **(Yuya: 600 LP/Sawatari: 0 LP)**

Even Yuzu, who had endured Sawatari's irksome grievances almost to her breaking point, had winced as Sawatari, now without the luxury of the Action Field, fell to the cold floor. For a moment, the indignation and irritation left her body like a feat of astral projection, replaced instead with worry and concern for the boy's wellbeing.

She released her bated breath as she saw Sawatari moving, albeit slower and with much less conviction than before.

Standing in the middle of the room, Yuya dazedly looked to his left and right as though he had forgotten where he was. He gasped when he looked straight ahead at Sawatari's struggling body.

 _Did…did_ I _do that?_ The thought made his blood run cold, and he quickly abandoned it.

Forgetting about the Pendulum Cards, Yuya ran over to the LDS student, Yuzu trailing slowly behind, and offered the boy his hand. "S-Sawatari! Are you all right? You're not hurt, are you?"

"Damn," he groaned. His knees ached, but he managed to rise to his feet. With a lithe swipe of his wrist, he glanced at the building's exit, grabbed the two Pendulum Cards from his Duel Disk, and started to run. His knees flared with another round of pain, but he willed it away, assuring himself that the means would justify the ends. "Fine, if it's come to this, I'll just take them!"

He looked back over his shoulder at Yuya and Yuzu. Then he toppled over, falling on his backside once more. He turned to see a large figure standing in the doorway, blocking his only access of escape.

Yuya gasped as he saw the person in question. "Gongenzaka?"

The pompadour-haired duelist gave Yuya an acknowledging nod and took a step forward. His sandals echoed off the walls.

"You have something that doesn't belong to you," he said, looking down at Sawatari.

Sawatari clicked the roof of his mouth with his tongue. "And you think I'm just going to give it up that easily?"

"Relinquish the Pendulum Cards."

To Sawatari's surprise, the voice belonged to neither Yuya nor Gongenzaka but to Reiji. He spoke in a furtive, pinched whisper, making it so only Sawatari could hear the command.

"What was that?" The words slipped through the cracks in Sawatari's gritted teeth.

"Relinquish the Pendulum Cards," Reiji said again, careful to add an appropriate amount of space between each word.

Gongenzaka took another step toward Sawatari, and the boy, against his better judgement, took the two cards in his hand and threw them in Yuya's direction. Yuya caught them both, giving Sawatari a puzzled look.

"Fine, take 'em," said Sawatari. "I don't need cowardly cards like that, anyway."

 _There's that word again._ Yuya's puzzlement molded into hurt. He looked to Yuzu to gauge her expression, but she was looking at her shoes. "Just how are my Pendulum Cards cowardly?"

Sawatari didn't reply. He swept strands of hair and dried gum off his pants and shirt, stood up, and looked at Gongenzaka, who, with much reluctance, took a couple more steps inside the building, freeing the entrance. And with that, Sawatari took his leave.

Yuya looked at the cards still on his Duel Disk, specifically Odd-Eyes. He couldn't remember the last couple turns of the duel, or even how it ended, though he suspected he must have won if Sawatari had just tried to flee with his cards.

 _This isn't the first time that's happened, either,_ he thought. He picked up Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and looked at it pensively. _During my duel against Strong Ishijima, I managed to eke out a victory, but I also don't remember how it happened._

He ran through the past few hours in his mind: He recalled the note in his locker, coming to this abandoned dueling building, Sawatari's friends barging in with Yuzu. But the rest was a static-laden blur. It was like someone had expunged the past fifteen minutes from his memory.

He deactivated his Duel Disk, put his deck in its holster, and looked at his manly friend. "Come to think of it, Gongenzaka, how did you know where to find us?"

"Yuzu was worried about you," he said, addressing Yuzu with another acknowledging nod, "so she called this man, Gongenzaka, when she was outside this place to tell me where you two were. When I called her back and she didn't reply, I came as quickly as I could."

"You went that far for me?" Yuya said, turning back to Yuzu. She was still silently looking down, lost in a powerful vortex of thoughts. "Yuzu?"

Yuzu flinched as if surprised to hear her name. She looked in Yuya's eyes with an emotion that he didn't recognize. She didn't speak; she simply looked at the boy's face and body. Her eyes darted everywhere without resting, to his hands, his legs, his hair, his lips. She looked at him as though he might vanish or grow a second head.

A groan came from outside the building. Yuya passed Gongenzaka as he walked outside the door, noticing Sawatari's three friends lying against the building wall, unconscious.

"Gongenzaka," Yuya stammered, "was that your doing?"

Gongenzaka stepped out into the sunlight and shook his head, unoffended by his friend's inquiry. "They were like that when I arrived."

"Really?" Yuya paused to think. A fruitless action. "If you didn't do it, then…" The thought lingered for a moment longer, but faded into the recesses of his mind. The three boys were all right, and that was good enough for now.

Yuya and Gongenzaka gave the building one more look before they started to walk ahead. Yuya suddenly stopped, whirling around and cupping his hands over his mouth. "Oi, come on, Yuzu! We're already late for class, but it's gonna be worse if we stay here any longer!"

"R-right," Yuzu whispered. She took slow, measured steps over to her two friends, and the three of them proceeded to You Show.

Yuya and Gongenzaka were discussing Yuya's upcoming duel with Reiji Akaba, though Gongenzaka heavily dominated the conversation as Yuya allowed his mind to wander.

 _Why would Sawatari just give me my Pendulum Cards back?_ He reached into his pocket, feeling his deck for security. _And what did he mean when he called them 'cowardly,' exactly?_

He thought of Sawatari lying face-down on the ground, of the pained expression on his face when he clambered to his feet.

 _Did I really do that to Sawatari?_

"Don't you think so too, Yuya?" Gongenzaka said.

Yuya, who had been half-listening, if that, nodded. "Yeah," he said, not quite knowing what he had just agreed with.

Yuzu trailed behind the two, scuffing the sidewalk with her tennis shoes. Of course, unlike Yuya, she had no problem calling to mind the events of his duel. She had a clear image of Sawatari in her mind, of his body flying back and hitting the wall, of the look of terror in his eyes as Yuya took his final turn.

But the image that stood out the most was Yuya's reaction when she had pleaded him – no, _begged_ him to saw him hold his head like he was in an internal battle with himself. But she couldn't understand why. She couldn't understand any of it.

Briefly, she recalled Yuya's duel against Strong Ishijima. She took the memory and juxtaposed it with Yuya's duel against Sawatari. She was at once afraid of the similarities she noticed.

 _Just what is going on with Yuya?_ She looked to her childhood friend, who was smiling and laughing at something that Gongenzaka had said. A warm sensation filled Yuzu's eyes and she fought back tears. She felt awful about having suspicions about her longest and dearest friend, and felt even worse about not being able to control her thoughts. They were like butterflies that were once captured and now released.

She sniffled, wiped her eyes with an index finger and brought her arm down to her side. The pink gem on her bracelet hit her thigh.

The three marched onward to You Show, unaware of the pair of eyes fixed on them. Dennis stepped out from behind the Amusement Duel building, watching Yuzu and the others until they faded from view.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," he tutted, looking at Sawatari's three unconscious friends. "You three really made my job difficult today, didn't you? Just when I was about to get her, you had to interrupt."

He gave an exaggerated sigh to his unresponsive audience of three. He was starting to get over the feeling of guilt for having knocked them out. An eye for an eye, as the saying went.

Still, he was feeling rather benevolent today. He wouldn't card them. The three of them would wake up in a few hours, rested and refreshed, though perhaps a little sore.

 _Maybe they'll be grateful for that,_ Dennis thought.

He waved to the three, and said, in English, "See you! Take it easy!" And with that, he made his way to You Show.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

"Where is this guy, anyway?" Sawatari demanded. "He's one-hundred years too early to keep the great Sawatari Shingo waiting."

Waiting to collect his reward, he looked around the main control room, straining his eyes in the dim light. He heard the tapping of keyboards and the sound of hushed female voices whispering statistics. He was still sore from his duel with Yuya, but not enough so to dilute his ego. He looked at Nakajima again and repeated the question.

Nakajima was quite thankful when, as though in response to Sawatari's incessant questioning, the doors opened and Reiji entered the room. In his hand he carried a deck of cards.

Immediately recognizing the Leo Corporation's CEO from his international fame in the dueling circuit, Sawatari erected his posture and even saluted. If there was anyone in the world of Duel Monsters that Sawatari respected, it was Reiji.

"Akaba Reiji, what an honor it is to finally meet you," Sawatari said. The formality now in his tone belied the previously hostile quality.

"Thank you," said Reiji, "but the formalities will not be necessary."

He handed the deck to Sawatari, who gingerly took it.

"As we agreed upon, in exchange for your help in facilitating and expediting the understanding of Pendulum Summoning, here is your new deck."

Sawatari turned it over, giddily noting the card at the bottom of the stack. He read its name. "Mayosenju, huh?"

"Yes," Reiji said. "I believe this deck will be capable of great things in the future, and I am excited to see if you can push the boundaries of Pendulum Summoning even further."

"Yosh," Sawatari said. "With this deck, I can defeat Sakaki Yuya at his game on my own terms!"

Reiji pushed the glasses up the bridge of his nose with one finger, staring at Sawatari with his piercing violet eyes.

"However…"

"However?" Sawatari repeated. There was always a catch to these things.

"Those cards won't be functional until three days from now," said Reiji. "On Sunday."

Sawatari made a face but quickly amended it to one more pleasant. "Why is that, if I may ask, Mister President?"

Reiji ignored the formality. "There is one final test that I need to make beforehand. After that, your new deck, which is imbued with the power of the Lancers, will be fully operational."

"Oh, I see," said Sawatari, which was a complete lie. He raised an eyebrow. "Wait, the Lancers? What are those?"

"That will be revealed to you in time." And as if he had just thought of something, Reiji added, "Hopefully."

The cryptic nature of the answer confused Sawatari, even as he was being escorted out of the room. When he was down the hall, Nakajima closed the door, taking his spot behind Reiji at the top of the main control booth.

"President," said Nakajima hesitantly. "May I ask a question?"

Reiji's eyes remained glued to one monitor in particular. On it was a video of Sawatari's duel against Yuya, obtained from the data of Sawatari's Duel Disk. Reiji watched the video closely, waiting for a specific moment. "A question?"

Nakajima's hesitation reverberated in his words. "Of all the students that attend the Leo Duel School," he said, prudently selecting each word, "why is it that Shingo Sawatari is the best candidate for the Lancers?"

Reiji answered almost instantly, as though he had been expecting the question all along. "It's true that while I don't agree with some of his methods, Sawatari showed the highest aptitude for a potential member of the Lancers during our Lancers Selection test."

Nakajima remembered having to go from class to class to hand-deliver the tests to the instructors, for them to give to their students. He hadn't thought much of it at the time, but he hadn't exactly thought an interdimensional war would soon be starting, either.

"I see," he said. "So back then…"

"I asked you to deliver those tests to find the most prime candidate," Reiji replied. "Though what surprises me is that it wasn't one of the top students in the Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz courses."

He had gotten to the point in the video where Sawatari performed his first Pendulum Summon. A thought came to him.

 _If my theory about Pendulum Summoning is correct, then…_

"Nakajima."

"Yes, sir?"

"Starting Sunday, record and monitor Sawatari's duels and his vital signs. If there's any change, any change at all, no matter how minor, I want to be alerted immediately."

Nakajima nodded, though Reiji didn't see the action, and scribbled the request on the piece of paper clamped to the clipboard in his hands. "Yes, sir."

When the video finished, Reiji clicked the replay button, but he fast-forwarded to the last turn of the duel.

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OCG/Anime/Custom Cards Shown In This Chapter –

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Mithra the Thunder Vassal (Monster)**

Thunder/Level 2/Effect/LIGHT

800 ATK/1000 DEF

Effect: During your Main Phase: You can activate this effect; you cannot Special Summon monsters from your Extra Deck for the rest of this turn, also Special Summon this card from your hand, and if you do, Special Summon 1 "Vassal Token" (Thunder-Type/LIGHT/Level 1/ATK 800/DEF 1000) to your opponent's side of the field in Defense Position. If this card is Tributed for a Tribute Summon: You can activate this effect; you can Tribute Summon 1 monster during your Main Phase this turn, in additional to your Normal Summon/Set. (You can only gain this effect once per turn.) You can only use each effect of "Mithra the Thunder Vassal" once per turn.

Note: This card can be found in the Japanese version of the Crossed Souls booster pack. It is currently only available in Japan.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Shuffle Reborn (Spell)**

Normal Spell

Image: Wightprince rising from the grave and scattering a flurry of Duel Monsters cards in the air.

Effect: If you control no monsters: Target 1 monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon it, but its effects are negated, also banish it during the End Phase. You can banish this card from your Graveyard, then target 1 card you control; banish 1 card from your hand during the End Phase of this turn, also shuffle that card on the field into the Deck, and if you do, draw 1 card. You can only use this effect of "Shuffle Reborn" once per turn.

Note: This card can be found in the Dimensions of Chaos booster pack. It is currently slated for release in the United States in November, 2015.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Magician's Card (Spell)**

Normal Spell

Image: A purple-moustached magician wearing a red suit blue top hat who is performing a card trick.

Effect: If this is the only card in your hand and you control no cards: Draw 1 card for each card your opponent controls, then reveal your hand. At the end of this turn, banish all cards you control.

Note: This card was first used by Yuya Sakaki in Episode 32 of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V." Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Misfire (Trap)**

Normal Trap/Action Trap

Image: A silhouette gunman aiming its pistol at a woman tied to the train tracks while a villain watches from behind her.

Effect: Halve the ATK of the monster with the highest ATK you control until the end of this turn.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Negligent Discharge (Trap)**

Normal Trap/Action Trap

Image: A gunman accidentally firing a bullet into the air as an airplane flies by overhead.

Effect: Reduce by 1 the Levels, and by 100 the ATK and DEF, of all monsters in your hand. These changes last until the end of this turn.

Note: The above two cards first appeared in this chapter.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Author's Note: In an effort to take her mind off Yuya, Yuzu finds herself striving to become a stronger duelist. But in the midst of her training, a mysterious man approaches her, bearing a familiar face. Meanwhile, it's the day before his big match with Reiji, and Yuya tries to make sense of the strange occurrences that have been going on around him. It's easier said than done, however, after he encounters two duelists from the Fusion Dimension. Who, what, and how? Find out next time!


	7. The Calm Before the Storm

**Chapter 7: The Calm Before the Storm**

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Pink sunrays filtered through Yuya's bedroom window on that Friday morning, and even in his dream state, he could feel them periodically glide across his face with the warmth and tender gracefulness of a ballet dancer. He groaned, then groggily rolled over on his side and pulled the covers over his head. Unfortunately, while this temporary bastion of solitude protected him from the emerging sunlight, it didn't blot out the sound of his mother, who was standing in the hallway and rapping on his bedroom door.

"Are you awake yet? You're going to be late for school if you stay in there any longer," she said. She gave the door a final knock before retreating to the living room.

Relinquishing his hopes of getting more sleep, Yuya sighed and slowly sat up in his bed. He blinked twice and squinted, adjusting his eyes to the light, then turned to the nightstand on his right, staring at his deck. It was turned upside-down and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon was the first card on the stack.

Underneath the deck was the envelope containing Reiji's duel invitation. Yuya felt an unexplainable sinking feeling in his stomach whenever he saw it, and this morning was no exception. He chalked the feeling up to nerves, but he wasn't completely sure of it.

Then he looked across his room, to his bedroom door. To the left of it was a poster bearing an image of Yuya's father. Yusho was smiling and flashing a peace sign as held a sparkling gold trophy in his left hand while bursts of confetti fell from the sky like raindrops. Two words were written above Yusho's image: "Duel Champion."

Yuya smiled, as he always did when he saw the picture. He felt an innate sense of security and happiness pierce through his prior nervousness.

 _Dad, wherever you are, please watch my duel tomorrow. I swear I'll make you proud with my Entertainment Dueling. And maybe…maybe I'll get a bit closer to you._

He yawned and stretched his muscles. As he sauntered to the shower, his hand brushed against his deck.

Fifteen minutes later, Yuya made his way to the kitchen for a quick breakfast. He had, as his mother feared, overslept a little later than usual that morning, and now he was scrambling to rectify it. He practically stumbled over the kitchen chairs as dashed to his seat.

"Thanks for the meal!" he exclaimed, panting and clapping his hands together over his head, grateful for the neatly-arranged orange slices and stack of syrupy pancakes sitting before him.

Yoko gave a noncommittal murmur of acknowledgement from the couch in the living room, where she sat drinking tea. She grabbed the remote from the coffee table and turned up the volume of the television.

From the kitchen where he was eating rather noisily, Yuya could hear snippets of a news segment fade in and out of earshot. One caught his ear. He heard a female reporter say, "Investigators are not sure what's happened, but there was one piece of potential evidence left near the scene of the crime. A single Duel Monsters card was found not too far from where the attack took place."

This piqued Yuya's interest. He grabbed his plate of food and shuffled into the living room, sitting in the recliner opposite his mother. The room was suddenly filled with an unspoken, almost electrical undercurrent as the two watched a man in a black suit appear on the screen.

"This," he said as he held up a zipper storage bag containing a Duel Monsters card, "was found by the warehouse at the docks, but none of the dock workers interviewed the following day said they had ever seen it, let alone owned it."

Yuya didn't recognize the card's name or its artwork, but from the brief glimpse of the card he could tell one thing: It was a Fusion Monster.

He and Yoko stared in silence as the camera panned to an image of the warehouse. Yuya thought the picture looked normal enough until he saw two large incisions in the warehouse's metal doors. He thought, briefly, that they resembled claw marks.

"While there is no concrete evidence," the female reporter continued, "experts believe that a duel may have taken place here between the suspect and the victim."

"How cruel," Yuya said under his breath as the camera angle shifted, flashing another image of the claw-like marks. "To use dueling in such a way."

The camera switched back to the reporter, who added, "No explanation has been given as of yet regarding these strange markings. A few reports believed them to be related to Duel Monsters, but most pundits agree that such a conclusion is unlikely.

"Leo Duel School's esteemed chairwoman, Himika Akaba, has been reported as saying that 'even with an Action Field, Real-Solid Vision cannot actually transcend the duel and cause real-life damage to property,' and that it would be 'nearly impossible for such defacement to be the cause of dueling.'"

"Akaba?"Yuya mumbled. He absentmindedly picked at his pancakes, coating the dinner plate with a generous dose of maple syrup.

"The victim hasn't been seen since the incident," the woman added. "And the suspect has yet to be formally identified. Police are still trying to determine the whereabouts of each. We will keep you posted to any new developments in this case." And with that, the reporter vanished from the screen, replaced by her two co-workers in the studio, and Yoko muted the television.

The living room's electrical undercurrent resurged as she and Yuya looked from the television to their feet. Neither knew quite what to say.

Finally, Yoko put both the remote and her cup of tea on the coffee table. She looked at her wristwatch, though she already knew the time, and said, "Come to think of it, don't you have a big duel tomorrow?"

"Huh?" Yuya shook his head and the images of the news report disappeared from his mind like a violently-shaken Etch-A-Sketch. "Oh, right, against Reiji Akaba."

"The child dueling prodigy, right?" She looked to her cup of tea. She gently tapped the leg of the coffee table with her foot and watched the green liquid ripple like pond water.

"Yeah," said Yuya. "It won't be easy, but I know that I can win. I've got Dad watching over me."

Yoko smiled wanly and looked back at her son. "I'm sure you'll make him very proud. He was always so proud of you, you know – we both were."

 _I know,_ Yuya thought. But he didn't say it. He gingerly stabbed at his pancakes.

"Anyway, you'd better hurry up," Yoko said. "Otherwise you really will be late for school."

Yuya looked at the clock on the wall. With wide eyes, he began shoveling food into his mouth as quickly as he could. When he was done, he placed the dishes in the sink, gathered his school supplies, Duel Disk and deck, and rushed out the door, yelling, "Thanks, Mom! See you later!"

As Yuya raced to school, all he could think about were the claw marks on the warehouse door.

Yoko held up her hand in acknowledgement as she watched her son turn the corner and disappear. Then she shut the front door and walked to her dark bedroom, where the only light came from the sun behind the curtains. She sat on her bed and retrieved a Duel Monsters card from underneath her pillow. It was a Spell Card. She looked at it for a long time, losing herself in a haze of memory.

"Yes," she said, blinking through her now tear-stained eyes. "We're so proud of you, Yuya. The both of us."

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Much to Yuya's surprise – and even more to his relief – the school day sped by in an uncomplicated blur of movement, and the final school bell sounded before he knew it. He and Yuzu were wading through the masses of their schoolmates, and they had just passed the entrance of the school when Yuya turned to her and brought up a conversation he had tried to start during lunch. "So," he said, "do you think Real-Solid Vision can actually cause real-life shockwaves? I mean, without the use of an Action Field and all. You didn't give me an answer earlier."

Yuzu sidestepped a classmate and looked in Yuya's general direction. She made a concerted effort not to look at his face, though the task proved to be harder than she had assumed. "What brought this topic up all of a sudden, anyway?"

"I'm just curious," Yuya said. "I saw a report on the news this morning about this warehouse getting ravaged as a result of a duel – or so they said – and it made me think. I'm curious," he said again as if trying harder to reassure himself than his friend. "There were claw marks and everything."

Yuzu thought back to Monday, remembering when she had felt the wind whip around her as Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon launched its attack. She considered Yuya's question, wondering if she should answer the question truthfully. "I guess it's possible," she said, after much deliberation. "I just…don't know how someone is able to do that."

"Maybe they're from another world," Yuya said, tilting his head up to the blue sky. He thought the words might have come out too serious, so he chuckled to make it known that he was joking.

Yuzu neither laughed nor smiled. She looked straight ahead. Her fingers clenched and tightened around her shoulder bag until her knuckles blanched.

"I'm just kidding, Yuzu," said Yuya. He patted her on the shoulder reassuringly. "I don't really believe in–"

"I know," Yuzu interjected. She faked a smile. "Sorry, it's just that I've had a lot of things on my mind recently. It's not your fault." When she turned to look at Yuya, she only saw the sadistic look that he had given Sawatari last night. The vision made her turn away just as quickly. In her haste, she tripped over her feet and nearly fell. Her bag fell from her hand and hit the ground, scattering its contents.

"Yuzu?" Yuya quickly grabbed Yuzu before she hit the ground. "Are you all right, Yuzu? Hey!"

With Yuya's help, Yuzu steadied herself and glanced at her hands, which were now shaking. Despite multiple attempts, she couldn't get them to stop. "I'm fine, it's nothing," she hastily said. She crouched down, scooping up the disorderly pile of school supplies and putting them back in her shoulder bag. With her face still aimed at the ground, she mumbled, "My dad wanted me to get to You Show early today to help him with something. I'll see you there later, right?"

This excuse, of course, was a lie, but Yuzu felt that she needed to be alone for a while. Not waiting for an answer, she pushed through the groups of people as gently as she could, disappearing in the sea of students and leaving Yuya standing alone in the middle of the courtyard, thunderstruck.

"Yuzu…" He reached out a hand for her, but she was already gone.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Yuya waited half an hour before going to You Show. He spent the time talking to Gongenzaka, who had offered him more advice for his duel against Reiji. After exactly thirty minutes of conversation, Yuya politely ended their exchange and set off to the duel school. He figured it would be an adequate amount of time to wait for Yuzu to sort through her thoughts.

When he entered You Show, he found Tatsuya huddled in the middle of the spectator's room. Futoshi stood on the left side of the dueling room, a Duel Disk strapped to his arm. Shuzo stood behind him, an animated grin on his face.

On the right side was Ayu, also with a Duel Disk equipped. Dennis stood behind her. He smiled at Yuya and waved when he saw him enter the spectator room.

"That's the way, Futoshi!" Shuzo screamed as the boy launched an attack against Ayu's monster, which promptly exploded. "Get fired up even more!"

"Don't worry, don't worry, Ayu," Dennis said. "You'll get him next turn." He nodded confidently and said, in English, "Trust me."

"Big brother Yuya!" Tatsuya said. "You're just in time to see Futoshi and Ayu's practice duel."

Yuya greeted Tatsuya with a hello and was about to say something else when Shuzo, taking notice of him, shouted, "Oi, Yuya! Could you go get Yuzu? She went to the classroom a while back, but she hasn't come out since. She shouldn't be missing such a hot-blooded duel!"

Yuya nodded, excusing himself from the room. Tatsuya was too engrossed in the duel to notice the pleasantry, but Yuya thought it was a nice gesture all the same.

He made his way through the winding hallway until he reached You Show's sole classroom. Twisting the doorknob ever-so-quietly so as not to startle Yuzu, he gently pushed the door in. He poked his head into the classroom, instantly noticing her near the overhead projector at the front of room. Her back was facing him.

"Yu…" Yuya started, softly. He stopped when he saw Yuzu holding three cards above her head. He watched in fascination, barely able to make out the trio of cards from far away. The two monsters on the sides he recognized, but the one in the middle threw him off. It looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't quite place his finger on it.

Then Yuzu chanted, and Yuya understood:

"I activate the Spell Card, Polymerization! With it, by fusing Aria the Melodious Diva and Sonata the Melodious Diva, I can summon a new monster! Fusion Summon!"

Of course, without her Duel Disk on, and without an Action Field, nothing happened. But Yuzu gave a satisfied sigh, dropping the cards back down to face-level and looking at them. She held them to her chest and began to turn around.

That was all Yuya saw before he quietly shut the door. He blinked his eyes as if gauging whether this was still real life or a prolonged part of his morning dream. He wondered if Yuzu had seen him, and even more, he wondered what she was doing in there in the first place.

 _What? Why is Yuzu trying to learn Fusion Summoning?_

The thought was mystifying, and it opened a Pandora's Box of questions for Yuya. Where did Yuzu get Polymerization? Why was she trying to keep this a secret? Was that why she'd been acting strange lately? Had that been the distraction she had hinted at earlier when she said she had a lot on her mind?

Standing there in the hallway, Yuya could hear Shuzo's animated cries emanating from the dueling room, as well as the sound of two monsters clashing. The others would be expecting him back soon, with or without Yuzu. But he didn't bother to go back.

Turning the opposite way, Yuya walked back to the entrance of the school. In the contained silence of the foyer, his footsteps sounded heavy and intensified as they ricocheted off the walls. The noise made it difficult for him to concentrate on his growing legion of questions, and for this he was surprisingly thankful. He pushed the doors open, inhaled deeply, and left to sift through his own thoughts.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Wandering through the heart of the city, Yuya passed buildings and shops with bright neon lights and overly-friendly welcome signs. He was in awe of how active and carefree the world around him was, despite the fact that everything seemed to have been turned upside-down recently, and so he continued forward until he reached the Maiami City park. He sat on one of the old wooden benches, hands in his lap, and sighed.

Fortunately, the park was far enough away from the busier streets and avenues, and Yuya took solace in the fact that he had a quiet place to be alone with his thoughts.

He placed a hand over his heart, took a deep breath, held it for a couple seconds and released it. His heart rate was steady; there was no burning sensation to be found in his chest.

 _I just don't understand it_ , he thought. _Every time I've felt that pain in my chest, I'm unable to remember what happened afterward. It happened back then when that motorcycle passed by on Sunday, and when I found Yuzu in the alleyway this week, and then again when I dueled against Sawatari._

He brought his hand to his neck and put two fingers on a neck vain. His heartbeat was the same.

 _But now I can't make it happen again. It's like it never even happened to begin with._

His hand dropped back down. Instinctively, he grabbed for his pendant, clutching it tightly to his chest.

 _It wasn't just the burning chest sensation, either. When I saw Yuzu back then, I heard a voice in my head, like a woman screaming. I don't recognize the voice, though, and I've never heard a scream like that in my life._

Yuya called the memory to mind, and even though it was faraway and vague, he winced at the mental sound. Looking for a quick distraction, he found one in the illusion of Yuzu. He saw Polymerization in her hand, sandwiched in between her two monsters.

This thought was even more confusing than his own condition. He still had no answers to it, and even worse, he had no leads as to how it began.

And as if receiving just the answer that he was searching for, Yuya looked up to see a girl walk by on the street. He sprang up from his seat and called out for her.

"Yuzu?"

The girl in question didn't take notice of him; she continued to walk the empty sidewalk, her face resolutely aimed north. Though she was a couple yards away from Yuya, he was sure it was Yuzu. She had the exact same bracelet strapped to her wrist.

But then, why didn't she respond to her name?

That wasn't all that was off, Yuya noted. This girl had a different set of clothes, which were predominately red in color, though he supposed Yuzu could have easily gone home and changed into a different outfit after he had left You Show. He'd been gone at least forty-five minutes, so it wasn't necessarily impossible.

Still, he had been looking straight at her face, and even from a distance away he could tell it was the face of his longest childhood friend, a face that made him feel secure. There was absolutely no way he mistook it for someone else's, he was sure of it.

He ran after her just as she rounded a corner and disappeared behind a building. If he was quick, he could reach her before she made it another block.

"Yuzu!" he called out again, running past the corner she had sank behind. But the girl was gone.

The streets on this block were more congested, and he careened his neck to see past the flock of people, but he couldn't find her. It was as though she had vanished into thin air.

He couldn't understand it. She had just been there five seconds ago. Yuya couldn't even see a trace of red clothing, let alone the girl. He scanned the shops and buildings that surrounded him, wondering if Yuzu would be likely to stop in any of them, but all that surrounded him were auto parts shops, hardware stores, a candy store, one arcade, and the Leo Duel School.

He looked at each one once, stopping at the LDS building. He shook his head. Even if Yuzu had been praising the Leo Duel School last week, there was no way she would ever enter a rival duel school.

He mumbled under his breath before stumbling upon an idea. He grabbed the Duel Disk strapped to his belt and raised it to his face. Lost in a fog of concentration, he clicked a button that showed a list of his phone contacts, and he was about to call Yuzu and ask where she had gone in such a hurry when he heard a bell ring. This was directly followed by the sound of a door closing and the faint voice of someone standing in front of him.

"I said, what are you doing here, Yuri?"

When the finally words sank in, Yuya looked taken aback. He stared at the kid talking to him, taking note of his blue jacket and matching hair. He looked to be about Yuya's age, though he was shorter and his voice was higher. The kid had a bag of candy in his hand and a lollipop in his mouth.

"What?" Yuya asked.

"Did the Professor send you to Standard, too?" asked the boy. He took a barren white lollipop stick out of his mouth and deftly tossed it into the trashcan beside him without looking.

"Eh, Professor? Standard? Yuri?" Yuya took a step back, looking at the shorter boy. "Sorry, I think you're mistaken. My name isn't Yuri." He looked past the boy, still searching for any sign of Yuzu he could find. "Excuse me," he said, trying to make his way past the boy.

"No, I'm not mistaken."

And to Yuya's own surprise, he stopped. Why, exactly, he didn't know. There was something remarkably unsettling about the tonal shift in the blue-haired boy's voice that paralyzed him. Yuya turned around, expecting the boy to continue, and he did.

"That was rude of me," he said. Sora giggled and the levity returned to his voice. "I didn't introduce myself first. My name is Sora Shiun'in."

 _Sora_. The name stuck in Yuya's mind like a fly caught in a spider web. He was certain he'd heard it before recently, but he forgot where he had.

"You probably don't know who I am," Sora continued, "but I've seen you running around Academia and I know you're definitely Yuri. I recognize your face.

"I've also heard the rumors about you, too." Not waiting for Yuya to say anything, Sora went on. "For example, I know that the Professor acknowledges you more than any other member of Academia. I've heard that your level of dueling is unparalleled, and that it might even be better than most of the instructors."

Yuya took another step back. "What are you talking about?" He realized he was wasting precious time listening to this kid's spiel, but for whatever reason, he couldn't force himself to walk away.

"I've also heard that you're able to make the power of your cards real somehow, without the use of any dueling technology," Sora said. "That's rather impressive, admittedly."

Sora then paused, frowning as he did so. "So then why are you here?" he muttered, more to himself than Yuya now. Suddenly, an idea seemed to ignite in his mind. Yuya thought that if his life were a cartoon, a little light bulb would have appeared above Sora's head. "Could it be that the Professor sent you to get Serena when I'm more than capable of doing it myself?"

 _Sora, Sora_ …Yuya racked his brain, trying desperately to remember if he had known this kid before. Maybe he had been an acquaintance in primary school?

"Hmph...Still, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious about your strength," Sora confessed. "For the Professor to hold someone in such high regard is quite rare. I want to experience that power firsthand to verify for myself which of us is more worthy of capturing Serena."

Yuya had all but given up listening to Sora. He was still trying to figure out where he'd heard the blue-haired boy's name before when it came.

"Duel me," Sora said.

"What?"

Sora didn't look like he was going to take no for an answer. He reached behind his back, retrieved his Duel Disk, and strapped it onto his left arm.

"Come on," Sora persisted, pouting like a recalcitrant child. "The duelists in Standard aren't that much of a challenge. And anyway, I want to see why the Professor thinks you're so much better than everyone else. Come on, come on, come on! You've just got to accept!" Sora made his best cute face, forcing his eyes to resemble those of an innocent puppy.

"I'm sorry," said Yuya immediately, "but I don't have time to duel you. I have to go now."

He took a step forward before freezing in his tracks again. This time, however, it was of his own volition. He had finally remembered where he'd heard Sora's name. It had been Yuzu that had told him about someone named Sora.

" _ **Monday night, right before you appeared, there was a man dueling that looked like you," said Yuzu.**_

" _ **A man that looked like me?" Yuya asked.**_

 _ **Yuzu nodded. "He had the same face as you, and he was dueling against someone named Sora. And when I heard your voice, when I heard you shouting my name, my bracelet shone and" – Yuzu paused to look at Yuya, whose face had suddenly twisted and become unreadable – "and that man disappeared. That's when you showed up."**_

This sudden flood of memory soon dried up, but it left a sliver of intrigue for Yuya. Was this really the very same Sora that Yuzu had mentioned in passing? And if it was, was it also possible that Yuya could receive some answers to the questions that were inundating his brain? Was he somehow connected to some of the odd things that were happening?

"All right," said Yuya. He took one more glance over Sora's shoulder, still not seeing Yuzu. Well, he decided, if it came to it, he could always call her. It wasn't the end of the world. "All right, fine, I'll duel you."

 _I just hope it's worth it_ , he thought, leading the way back to the park, Sora in tow. When the two found an empty spot in the park, they set their Duel Disks, drew their cards, and shouted, "Duel!"

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Yuzu hadn't gone to the spectator's room either, though she knew her father and the others would probably be wondering where she was soon. Minutes after Yuya left You Show, she did the same. The only thing she took with her as she left the building was her Duel Disk and deck.

She closed her eyes as she stepped outside, noting of the bustle of the city life. She mentally crossed off the sounds as though they were on a checklist: Blaring car horns, obnoxious seagulls, a slight breeze that carried furtive conversations, and interspersed among them all was Yuzu's soft sigh. Like Yuya, she wondered how everyone could go about their lives so seamlessly when she was in such a state of mental turmoil.

Sighing again, she crossed the street and walked down the cement steps that led to the edge of the river. She noticed markings in the dirt that resembled motorcycle tracks, but she didn't think much of it. She sat in the grass and hugged her knees to her chest. A sudden rush of wind came, sweeping Yuzu's bangs to the side, and she looked down at the cards in her hand. Her deck was overturned and Polymerization was on top of the pile.

She smiled a self-deprecating smile, ultimately realizing the uselessness of the card. She didn't even have any Fusion Monsters, so there was really no point in keeping it in her deck, but she liked the idea of having it. It reminded her desire to be stronger.

She was quick to admit to herself that the desire was something of a newfound one, which had been spurred to life as a result of Yuya's creation of Pendulum Summoning, but she was dedicated to making it more than just a dream. If Yuya had found a way to go beyond his limit, she decided that she would do the same.

So far, however, it wasn't going as well as she had hoped, and the issue certainly wasn't helped by the constant swarm of thoughts that circled around her mind like buzzards.

 _I still don't know who that guy was that saved me from Sora,_ she thought. _Or why he looked so much like Yuya._ She frowned. _I don't even know if it_ was _Yuya or not._

She wanted nothing more than to believe Yuya when he said that he didn't know anything about the incident, but every time she remembered his vehement denial, she saw the incongruous image of him dueling against Strong Ishijima and Sawatari, the look of anger and hatred plastered on his face, and the thought jumbled up her trust. That image of Yuya wasn't unlike the look that the masked duelist had given Sora when questioning the boy's Fusion Summoning.

And the way that he had just randomly brought up the attack on the warehouse earlier had made her uncomfortable. What had spurred the topic so suddenly? Had he been trying to gauge her reaction to violence? Had he somehow been involved in the incident?

She was still pondering this when she heard the sound of footsteps rushing down the cement steps. _Probably Dad,_ she thought, given how fast the footwork sounded. She would accept whatever punishment her father was going to give her for skipping the duel lesson.

"Hey," said a masculine voice from behind her. It wasn't her father's voice. "Hey, can you help me? I'm not from here, and I don't exactly know my way around the city, so I was looking for some directions. The people I've talked to so far haven't exactly been the most helpful, either."

Yuzu side-glanced over her shoulder to see a white motorcycle parked on the did a quick double take, squinting in the sunlight, thinking that the motorcycle looked a little familiar.

 _Wait a second…_

"Uhh," said the speaker, "all right, if you're busy, I'll go find someone else."

He turned his back on Yuzu and walked back to his motorcycle. This action gave Yuzu enough time to turn around completely and take note of the biker. Same helmet, same apparel, same motorcycle. This was definitely the guy that had almost flattened her like a pancake on Sunday.

She stood up, pocketed her deck, and shouted, "Hey, what's the big idea? You almost ran me and my friend over earlier this week. Don't you watch where you're going when you're riding that thing? That vehicle is dangerous, you know!"

Now it was the motorcyclist's turn to whirl around. His helmet visor concealed his upper face but not his frown. He looked like he was ready to argue. Then his jaw dropped and he stood there, silent and mesmerized.

"What?" Yuzu crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "You're speechless now? Don't you have anything to say for your–"

She was at a loss for words when the motorcyclist did the unexpected. He ran up and hugged her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. She felt a rush of warmth spread through her body and localize in her cheeks, which, she was sure, were certainly hot pink by now. She tried to break the hug, but the man's grip was taut and unwavering.

"H-hey! What do you think you're doing?" she stammered, stumbling over the words more than a couple times. She felt the coolness of the man's helmet on her cheek.

The motorcyclist whispered intimately, sending his words down Yuzu's spine. "I'm so glad I finally found you, Rin! I've been looking everywhere. To think that Clear Wing was leading me to you this whole time, it's incredible. I can't believe that guy took you to the Standard Dimension after all. Well, it doesn't matter now, I've found you! I've missed you so much, Rin!"

"Eh? Standard Dimension? And more importantly, who's Rin?"

The motorcyclist eased his grip and took a step back, though his hands were still on Yuzu's body. "Don't you recognize me, Rin?" he asked. There was a genuine tone of hurt in his voice as the question was carried away by another burst of wind. He clicked a button on his helmet and his visor responsively retracted, revealing his face. "It's me, Yugo."

Yuzu gasped. She held the sides of his helmet to steady his head. Her eyes darted from each spot of his face, but there was no mistaking it. It was the exact same face as Yuya's.

"Yuya?" She knew it couldn't have possibly been him since he was there with her when she was almost run over.

 _But then…why does he look exactly like Yuya?_

The man's ecstatic smile vanished. He let go of Yuzu. "Yuya? I just said my name is Yugo. Jeez, I guess you really aren't Rin after all."

The girl let go of the man's helmet and shook her head. "No, I'm not. My name is Yuzu. Yuzu Hiragi."

"You just like her, though. It's strange. Your face is exactly like hers, so I just…I guess I just thought that you were her."

"That Rin person, you mean."

The motorcyclist – Yugo – nodded.

Abruptly, Yuzu recalled the image of Serena that Sora had shown her. "This Rin," she began before pausing. Then she restarted, "Does she usually wear a red jacket and have purple hair?"

"Eh, purple hair and a red jacket?" Yugo fervently shook his head. "Nope, that doesn't sound like Rin at all."

"Oh, I see."

Another gust of wind whirled around the two, causing Yuzu's skirt to sway. The two looked at each other silently, seeing a completely new person bearing an old, familiar face.

"Wait," Yuzu finally said. "What did you mean earlier when you said the 'Standard Dimension,' exactly? What is that?"

Yugo slapped his face with his gloved hand. "Jeez, you don't even know that much?" He sighed, and despite Yuzu now giving him an obvious glare, he obliviously continued. "Don't you know that this universe is made up of four different worlds? This one just happens to be–"

"What?" Yuzu interrupted, looking at the boy like he was crazy. "You can't be serious. You expect me to believe that there are other worlds?"

"Well, not worlds exactly," Yugo said. "I'm more partial to the term dimensions, honestly. For example, this one would be the Standard Dimension, as I mentioned earlier."

Yuzu scanned Yugo's face carefully, looking for any sign of deceit or falsity. To her horror, she found none. When she spoke, her voice came out timid and hoarse. "You said you're not from around here, right? Is that because…?"

"Yeah, that's right," the man said, removing his helmet altogether. The man's hair was a dead giveaway to Yuzu that this person really wasn't Yuya – both the color and the style were different. Yugo smiled pridefully and added, "I'm not from this dimension at all."

"Hold on," Yuzu replied speedily, almost interrupting Yugo again. Seeing him clearly for the first time had reminded her of something. "You were the one from a couple nights ago too, right? The one who fought in my place against Sora? That explains why…why you have the same face as him," she said, muttering the last part.

Yugo gave an exaggerated "Huh?" He scratched his head and said, "I don't know what you're talking about there. I've barely talked to anyone in this dimension so far, let alone saved them."

 _So that masked duelist really was Yuya that whole time?_ Yuzu wondered. Her face fell at the thought.

"Are you all right?" Yugo asked. "You have a weird look on your face."

Yuzu ignored Yugo's overly blunt way of speech. "It's nothing," she said. Another sporadic thought emerged. "Hold on, the dimension that you're from, what's its name?"

"The Synchro Dimension."

"Synchro?" Yuzu parroted. Now she knew he had to be joking. "Like the type of Monster Card? Are you kidding me?"

"It's not a joke!" Yugo snapped. "Hold on, wait right there." He pointed to the spot where Yuzu was already standing for emphasis. Then he ran up to his motorcycle, started it, and drove down to Yuzu in under a minute. Then he clicked a button on the bike, opening his Extra Deck slot.

"See?" he said, grabbing the top card on the stack and handing it to her.

"Clear Wing Synchro Dragon?" she read, handing the card back. "Wait, I thought only LDS students could Synchro Summon."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you. I don't know what this 'LDS' is, but we're called the Synchro Dimension because that's the summoning method that everyone there exclusively uses – Synchro."

"There are whole dimensions devoted to one type of summoning?" Yuzu wasn't wholly convinced yet by this explanation. "But if that's the case, then why are we called the Standard Dimension? There's no such thing as Standard Monsters."

"Huh? Uhh, you see, the thing is…" Yugo looked everywhere but Yuzu. He was sure that this didn't help his case. "Well, I don't exactly know myself. That's just what I've heard it called."

"And why are you telling me all this, anyway?" Yuzu asked. "And what makes you think that this Rin girl was brought to" – Yuzu hesitated as if struggling with the notion of different worlds, but she decided to play along – "was brought to our dimension in the first place. To Standard."

"Well, I've been trapped in this dimension for a week now, and since I haven't yet been brought me back to my hometown, I can only assume that Rin is around here somewhere. That's why I asked you about directions earlier, so I can search the places I haven't been.

"Truthfully, I've kinda been hopping from dimension to dimension because of this guy." Yugo turned Clear Wing to Yuzu. "I think he's trying to lead me to Rin."

"Do you mean to tell me that your card warps you to different dimensions?" Yuzu was having trouble containing her skepticism. She couldn't quite explain why this Yugo character had the same face as Yuya, but this whole thing was starting to sound farfetched.

"Yeah, it sure does," Yugo said, unaffected by Yuzu's cynical tone. He stopped, took a look around, and when he was sure they were alone, he said, "But honestly, I'm not really sure where he took Rin."

"He? Wait, earlier you said 'that guy' took Rin. Who are you talking about?"

"Well, I'm not exactly sure who _he_ is myself, either. I only saw him once, at night, and he was wearing a cloak that was kinda like _whoosh_." Yugo accentuated his silly sound effect with a lively vertical flick of his hand. Then his face turned serious. "But he took Rin away, right there in front of my very eyes, and I've been searching for him ever since."

"This Rin…Is she your girlfriend?"

"G-girlfriend?" Yugo stammered. He shook his hand wildly, saying, "No, no, no, no, no. We're not serious or anything. I mean, not serious like that! She's a precious childhood friend, you know? That's all! Although, I mean, sometimes I'd like to think that someday we might…" He chuckled, leaving his sentence unfinished.

Yuzu made a face. How could this guy be so serious one second and so goofy the next? It made it especially hard for her to read his emotions. "The guy that took Rin. Did you see what he looked like at all, besides his cloak?"

Yugo's solemnity returned. "Yeah, I got a good look at the bastard," he snarled, cracking his knuckles. "And get this – he had the same face as me."

Yuzu felt her heart sink into the pit of her stomach. She felt lightheaded. She looked past Yugo, to You Show, and was greeted by a distant photograph of memory. She reminisced about the day that You Show had first opened, when she and Yuya were only six years old. They all stood outside the school, she beside her father, smiling and wearing two flowered hairclips, and Yuya beside his parents. She'd never forget that moment.

And now, just eight years later, she pondered: Could the boy in her memory, that sweet and innocent young boy who became her best and closest childhood friend, really be responsible for the mutilation of the warehouse and for kidnapping another person?

"Yuya…"

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **(Yuya Sakaki: 4000 LP/Sora Shiun'in: 4000 LP)**

"I'll go first," Yuya said, surveying the cards in his hand. He went to grab a monster before an image flashed in his mind's eye. He visualized Sawatari lying face down on the ground, which snaked into another image of the way the Sawatari's face had twisted in a conflation of malice and pain. Yuya knew he had undoubtedly been the one to inflict that pain, and the thought now made him retract his hand.

 _I couldn't control myself yesterday. I don't know what exactly transpired during that duel, or why I would try to hurt Sawatari, but I know that I never want it to happen again,_ he thought. _Dueling shouldn't ever be used as a tool for anger._

He took a deep breath to clear his mind. "Relax," he whispered. "Just relax."

His heartbeat stabilized and his breathing evened out. Then he grabbed his card and said, "I summon Entermate Whip Viper!"

The violet viper in the black top hat and polka dot bowtie appeared, hissing and slithering over to its owner. (1700 ATK)

"I end my turn," said Yuya as Whip Viper coiled itself around his left arm.

When Sora looked at the monster, his expression was a crossbreed between a disappointed pout and a playful smirk. He cocked his head to the side as if it would aid him in understanding Yuya's monster.

"Hmm," he said, plain and simple. "My turn, then. Draw!"

He drew his card, and his half-pout was replaced by the missing half of the smirk.

"All right! He took a card and gently placed it in his backrow slot. "Continuous Spell, Toy Pot, activate!"

The oversized vending machine appeared to Sora's right.

"Now, I use Toy Pot's effect and discard this card" – Sora paused to send Spell Card to the Graveyard – "allowing me to draw one card. Draw!"

He gave a yank on his deck card. His eyes lit up like the northern lights.

"The card I drew is Furnimal Dog, and because it's a Furnimal monster, I can Special Summon it to my field through Toy Pot's effect!"

A white ring of light brought forth an adorable puppy. It was white with brown patches across its body, and it wore a snug pink jacket. It woofed twice, wagging its tail frenetically. Tiny white angel wings appeared on its back, keeping its body afloat. (1700 ATK)

"It's got the same ATK as Whip Viper," said Yuya.

"Furnimal Dog's effect activates," Sora said. "When it's Special Summoned from my hand, I can add another Furnimal monster to my hand from my deck!"

A card ejected itself from Sora's Duel Disk. He grabbed it and placed it next to Furnimal Dog.

"Continuing, I Normal Summon Furnimal Lio!"

Furnimal Lio leapt from its card. It was an orange, cartoonish lion, with beady black eyes and a harmless-looking face. Like Furnimal Dog, it had angel wings on its back, but it chose not to fly. Pink cuffs wrapped around the monster's four limbs like bracelets. (1600 ATK)

"Here I come!" Sora declared.

Yuya held a hand out. "Whip Viper's effect activates!" he interrupted. "Once per turn, during the Main Phase, it can switch the ATK and DEF of a monster on the field, until the End Phase. With this effect, I choose Furnimal Dog as my target!"

Whip Viper widened its eyes, swinging its tail back and forth like a hypnotic pendulum. Whimpering, Furnimal Dog fell to the ground. (1700 – 1000 ATK)

"You planned that far ahead?" Sora sounded genuinely impressed. Then he chuckled. "Or should I say, as expected of one of Academia's alleged top-ranking duelists? I guess those rumors about you weren't just big talk."

"Rumors? And what in the world is this Academia?" Yuya said.

Sora pretended not to hear the questions. He was too busy entertaining the thought of defeating one of Academia's so-called strongest duelists. "But it's no matter," he continued, smiling. "If that's the case, I'll attack Whip Viper with Furnimal Lio instead!"

Furnimal Lio nodded, racing forward on its bulky feet.

"What?" Yuya's brow furrowed. "You're attacking Whip Viper with a weaker monster?"

"At this moment, I activate Furnimal Lio's monster effect! When it attacks, it gains an additional 500 ATK this turn!"

The lion roared and a golden aura coated its body. (1600 – 2100 ATK)

Yuya looked taken aback – had Sora been planning this from the start? Quickly, he turned to look for an Action Card before remembering that, in his haste to rid himself of Sora's badgering, he had accidentally chosen to forgo dueling with an Action Field.

He cursed under his breath, but it went unheard as Whip Viper uncoiled itself from Yuya and jumped forward, only to get trampled by Furnimal Lio. The Entermate monster coughed once, exhaling a puff of smoke, before becoming motes of pale light.

 **(Yuya: 3600 LP/Sora: 4000 LP)**

"Next comes Furnimal Dog! Attack Yuri directly!"

Furnimal Dog marched up to Yuya, pawing gently at the boy's sneakers. The ordeal was more annoying than painful, but it was over within seconds as the dog retreated back to Sora.

 **(Yuya: 2600 LP/Sora: 4000 LP)**

"I keep telling you I'm not Yuri!" Yuya huffed. He was beginning to find this even more irritating than Sora's attempt at starting the duel.

The blue-haired boy simply looked at the four cards in his hand. "I set one card facedown and end my turn."

A concealed card appeared next to Toy Pot.

"During the End Phase, the effects of Furnimal Lio and Whip Viper end, and my monsters' attacking power returns to normal."

Furnimal Lio's gold glow vanished (2100 – 1600 ATK), and Furnimal Dog jumped up, airborne once again. (1000 – 1700 ATK)

Sora reached into his pocket, retrieved a lollipop, removed the wrapper and popped it in his mouth. "Now, come at me. I would hate to think that you're the person whom the Professor acknowledges the most if this is the best you can do."

"The Professor?" Yuya mumbled. He had a feeling that any further attempts at questioning would be dismissed by Sora, so he instead brought a hand to his deck. "Whatever. It's my turn! Draw!"

He turned his newest card around, grinning from ear to ear as he saw Odd-Eyes on the artwork.

 _That's right,_ he reminded himself. _Duels aren't meant to be used for revenge or hatred. They're supposed to make people happy. So from now on, I'll only use my dueling to make people smile!_

"Ahem," he said. "Sorry for the late entrance, but our star performer likes to arrive in fashion!"

"Star performer?" Sora parroted. He cocked his head to the side again.

"Yeah, you heard right. But before I can introduce him, I have to call on a few of our lovely assistants. So, first up is my ever-faithful Entermate Discover Hippo!"

Discover Hippo sprang from its card, bounding into the air. With a triumphant cry, it landed on its hind legs, striking a pose and pointing up to the sky with one front leg. (800 ATK)

"And because I summoned an Entermate monster, I can Special Summon this card from my hand. Now, put your hands together, because making her debut appearance is our beautiful raven-haired apprentice who's bound to be a big help! Come, Entermate Helprincess!"

The monster was human, young and with black hair styled to resemble raven wings. She wore a crown and a green-white bowtie, brought together by an elegant purple dress. True to her name, she had a pink telephone in one hand and a white, oversized helping hand in the other. She giggled, causing her red eyes to crinkle. (1200 ATK)

Sora was enthralled by Yuya's performance. He watched eagerly, waiting for the next development. His eyes sparkled like a pristine gemstone.

As if to sate Sora's appetite, Yuya continued, "On the turn Discover Hippo is Normal Summoned, I can additionally Tribute Summon a high-Level monster. Now then, my loyal monsters, I'm afraid I must ask you to take your leave."

Discover Hippo and Helprincess bowed to Sora, disappearing in specks of light that combined to create the hulking form of Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon. The heterochromatic-eyed dragon roared, causing the gems in its chest to flare brighter than ever before. (2500 ATK)

"And replacing our assistants will be none other than the main attraction. With those wondrous and beautiful dichromatic eyes of yours, appear before us now! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

Yuya smiled but it soon vanished as he looked at Odd-Eyes' card on his Duel Disk, gasping. It was glowing and pulsing strangely, almost resonating. Stuttering, he said, "What's this light?"

 **0-0-0-0-0**

"What the…?" Yugo stopped and stared at the Clear Wing he was still holding. It had begun to emanate a sickly glow that it was now emitting in steady echolike waves. "What's this light?"

"What's going on?" Yuzu asked, taking an instinctive step back.

"I'm not sure," Yugo admitted. "It's only done this once before, and that was back when…"

He stopped and looked to his left and right frantically as if searching for a hidden enemy.

"I know you're there! Show yourself!" he shouted. "User of Xyz!"

 **0-0-0-0-0**

And just like that, the light and the pulsating stopped just as quickly as they had started. Yuya wasn't even sure they had ever been there or if he was still a little tired.

 _What was that? It was like Odd-Eyes was resonating or something,_ he thought, turning to Sora.

The boy squealed in excitement, not seeming to have seen anything out of the ordinary. "Pretty!" he gushed, capitulating to his childlike proclivities. He stared straight ahead at Odd-Eyes and said, "So, this is your dragon, huh?"

This statement bewildered Yuya even more than the flashing light had. There was something in the way that Sora had said it that made it seem as though he had been anticipating a dragon all along. To the best of Yuya's knowledge, however, Sora had never seen him duel, so how could he have known that Odd-Eyes was coming?

 _Could it be,_ Yuya briefly wondered, _that he was waiting for another dragon? That Yuri guy's…_

"Hey."

Sora looked from Odd-Eyes to Yuya. "Hmm?"

"Were you expecting this?" Yuya asked. "I mean, did you expect me to summon Odd-Eyes?"

Sora shrugged. "I heard you rumors that you were in possession of a one-of-a-kind dragon," he said, motioning to Odd-Eyes, "but I didn't know its name. Until now, I mean." Sora paused as if contemplating telling Yuya a secret. "I guess I just expected it to be a Fusion Monster."

"Why's that?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Sora laughed innocently. "Anyway, it's still your turn."

Yuya was wholly unsatisfied with the partial answer. He wanted to inquire further, but knew that Sora would deliver another abstruse answer. Sighing, he said, "All right," and tried to get back into his persona. If nothing else, he would at least make Sora smile. "Well, now that I've brought out today's star performer, I'll treat you to a wonderful light show!"

He aimed a finger at Sora's lion. "I attack Furnimal Lio with Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! Spiral Strike Flame!"

Scarlet flames burned within Odd-Eyes' mouth, and it unleashed the flaming stream at Furnimal Lio. The helpless animal tried to evade the blast by running in the opposite direction, but it was consumed by the raging inferno.

"And when battling an opposing monster, Odd-Eyes inflicts double the damage. Reaction Force!"

Sora was pushed back by the backlash, but he managed to stay on his feet.

 **(Yuya: 2600 LP/Sora: 2200 LP)**

"Trap Card, open!" he said. "Furnimal Crane!"

A dark portal opened up on the ground, and from the ether above came a giant crane with a claw attached. The device reminded Yuya of an arcade game he used to play with Yuzu when they were kids.

"This card returns to my hand one Furnimal monster that was destroyed by my opponent. After that, I can draw one card from my deck!"

The claw sank into the portal, only to reemerge seconds later with Furnimal Lio in its grasp. The monster was dropped into Sora's hand in card form, and the boy drew another card.

"How's that?" Sora said. He meant to say more but he went silent as he looked straight at Odd-Eyes. He couldn't explain it, but for a split second he saw Odd-Eyes as Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon.

He shook his head and the image faded, but he still couldn't deny the distinct similarity between the two dragons, despite knowing that they couldn't have been the same. After all, Dark Rebellion was an Xyz Monster.

 _So why did I see…_ Sora was unable to finish the thought.

"What's wrong?" Yuya called from the other side of the field. "Are you okay?"

 _But come to think of it, though, this guy also looks a bit like that Xyz user…_

"Are you okay?" Yuya said again.

"Yeah," Sora said flatly, with hesitation and a tone that belied the word's sentiment. He feigned a smile and took another lick of his lollipop. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's continue."

"Right. I set this card facedown and end my turn," Yuya said, placing a card behind Odd-Eyes.

"My turn. Draw," Sora said, drawing. He took another card from his hand, turned it around, and said, "I summon Edge Imp Saw!"

A circular saw appeared in front of him. Its silvers edges were serrated and lustrous. Ten separate tiny coping saws were set up vertically within the monster's body, and they all whirred furiously. Demonic red eyes appeared behind the blades. (500 ATK)

"When Edge Imp Saw is Normal Summoned," said Sora, "I can discard one Furnimal monster from my hand to draw two cards."

Quickly regaining his carefree attitude, Sora discarded Furnimal Bear with a singsong "Don't need you anymore!" Then he made two draws.

"However," he added, "I'm now required to place a card from my hand on the top of bottom of my deck, so I'll choose to place this one on the top."

He placed the card on his deck.

"And once again, I activate Toy Pot's effect. I discard one card to draw the top card of my deck."

Sora discarded and drew. Of course, knowing what the card was, he preemptively placed it on his Duel Disk, and the resurrected Furnimal Lio appeared next to Edge Imp Saw. (1600 ATK)

"Lastly," he said, "I activate the Continuous Spell, Death-Toy Factory!"

A Spell Card appeared with a macabre picture of a mysterious covert factory.

"Death-Toy?" said Yuya.

"This card, by banishing one Polymerization or Fusion Magic Card from my Graveyard, allows me to Fusion Summon a monster from my Extra Deck, using the monsters from my field and hand as Fusion Materials!"

"But you don't have…" Yuya began. His voice trailed off as he realized it.

"That's right," Sora replied. "When I used Toy Pot's effect for the first time, I discarded Polymerization. I'll banish it now to fuse the Edge Imp Saw and Furnimal Lio on my field!"

Sora pocketed the Spell Card, and a vortex of color swirled behind him. The two monsters ascended and combined with the blue-red whirlpool.

"Steel blades possessed by demons. Become one with the fanged beast, and show us a new form and power! Fusion Summon!"

"Polymerization…Fusion Summon," Yuya whispered. Multiple images of Yuzu filled his mind like a shoddy collage, vying for his attention – images of her standing in the classroom, of her with her back to him, of her holding Polymerization and chanting.

The Fusion Monster materialized. It was nearly ten feet tall, making Sora appear laughably small by comparison. The beast was mostly lion-like in nature. It stood on two feet and had bandages wrapped around its wrists like gauze. Menacing blades ran up and down its face and body. Three blood-red claws appeared on each limb. It grinned at Yuya with frighteningly sharp teeth, also dyed blood-red. (2400 ATK)

"Show yourself! King of the hundred beasts that tears everything to pieces! Death-Toy Wheel Saw Lio!"

Yuya recoiled a little at the sight of the monster. He definitely hadn't been expecting something like this. "So this is your deck's true strength."

"Yep," Sora said. He plucked the lollipop from his mouth, aiming it at Wheel Saw Lio. "My deck excels in Fusion Summoning strong monsters. But you don't have to take my word for it."

Moving his arm slightly to the right, he pointed the lollipop stick at Odd-Eyes.

"Wheel Saw Lio, in exchange for forfeiting its ability to attack directly, can, once per turn, destroy a monster on my opponent's field. Moreover, my opponent then takes damage equal to that monster's original ATK! Go, Wheel Saw Lio!"

The saws began to hum. The monster's face then lit up, and its blades adopted a stunning gold hue. Without warning, three of them shot forward in the direction of Odd-Eyes. Without much distance between the monsters, the dragon didn't even have time to react before its arms, legs, and head were sliced clean off in a display of ruthless efficiency.

Yuya screamed as he toppled over, rolling five feet from where he had been standing and landing on his elbow. Though he hit the soft grass, his elbow throbbed furiously, and the pain made him wonder.

 _This pain,_ he thought. _How can I be experiencing pain without an Action Field? There's no Real-Solid Vision, but I felt that shockwave. How?_ He thought, for a moment, of the news report from that morning.

 **(Yuya: 100 LP/Sora: 2200 LP)**

With a few labored breaths, the elbow pain subsided. Yuya worked his way back to his feet, grabbing Odd-Eyes' card. His Extra Deck slot opened, and he went to put Odd-Eyes into it.

"Huh?" Sora asked. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, sorry," Yuya said. "I should have told you before. Destroyed Pendulum Monsters go to the Extra Deck."

"Pendulum Monsters?" Sora cocked his head to the side for a third time. He wondered if Pendulum Monsters were a specialty of the Standard Dimension that Yuri had picked up. He shrugged, supposing it wasn't important enough to inquire about. Not now, anyway, when victory was one attack declaration away.

"Well, while I can't attack you directly with Wheel Saw Lio this turn," he proceeded, "I still have Furnimal Dog on my field. Go, Furnimal Dog! Attack him directly!"

The monster raced forward, opening its mouth with the intention of biting Yuya.

"Continuous Trap Card, activate!" shouted the Entertainment Duelist. "Entermate Pinch Helper!"

A pink barrier shielded Yuya, and Furnimal Dog, in its haste, ran nose-first into it. It yelped, scampering back to Sora with tears in its eyes.

"This card negates your attack and Special Summons an Entermate monster from my deck!"

Fire Mufflio appeared in a flash of light. (800 DEF)

"Well, even if it can't attack directly," retorted Sora, "Wheel Saw Lio can still attack monsters. Do it, Wheel Saw Lio!"

A saw blade shot forward from the creature's stomach, cutting the lion in half. Yuya placed the monster in his Extra Deck.

Sora took two cards of the three cards in his hand and placed them facedown. They appeared behind his monsters, and he declared that his turn was over.

Yuya wiped the sweat from his forehead, looking at the final card in his hand. It was a longshot, but if he drew the right card, he could get out of the situation.

 _It's all riding on this._ He gulped, and placed his hand on his deck. "Draw!"

He grabbed the card and flipped it over. With a smile, he began:

"The fun has just begun!"

Sora looked askance at his opponent. "Fun?"

"That's right," Yuya said, turning the two cards in his hand over. "I, using Magician of Astromancy and Magician of Chronomancy, set the Pendulum Scale!"

Yuya was relieved to see his Magicians on his side of the field again. Astromancy appeared on his left while Chronomancy took the right. (Scales: 1 and 8, respectively)

Sora watched Yuya's every movement, rapt. He dared not even breathe.

"Like this, I can simultaneously summon multiple monsters whose Levels range from Two to Seven from my hand or Extra Deck!"

A fissure opened in the sky, and two meteorites of light – red and orange – descended.

"Swing, Pendulum of Souls! Draw an arc of light across the ether! Pendulum Summon! Revive from my Extra Deck, Entermate Fire Mufflio and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

The first blaze of light brought the lion. Its flames grew as it roared. (800 ATK)

The second, larger blaze brought Odd-Eyes, who gave another fearsome battle cry. (2500 ATK)

It was now that Sora was finally sure of it – this guy really wasn't Yuri. He was someone different.

He was someone exciting.

Sora clicked a button on his Duel Disk and the cards on his field vanished. And then, much to Yuya's surprise, Sora ran up to him, his eyes twinkling with a strange mix of excitement and something inscrutable that Yuya couldn't readily identify.

"Huh?" he simply said. "What about the duel?"

Sora shrugged, looking from Yuya to his Pendulum Cards. "I'll give you the win." He pointed to the Magicians of Astromancy and Chronomancy. "Say, can I see these?"

The memory of Sawatari developed in Yuya's mind like a Polaroid picture. In his reverie, Yuya saw the other boy waving around his Pendulum Cards and sneering arrogantly. Blinking, he was transported back into the present, wherein he saw Sora looking up at him expectantly. "Umm…"

"I won't steal them or anything," said Sora. He held up his right hand and gave a three-fingered salute. "I promise."

Yuya was still wary, though Sora's promise did make him feel a little less apprehensive. Besides, he thought that if he let Sora see his cards, he might receive a quid pro quo in the form of a few answers to his earlier questions.

"I guess it's okay," Yuya replied, putting an mountain of space between each word. He removed his deck from its holster, fanned through it, selected a couple more Pendulum Monsters, and gave the small stack of cards to Sora, who smiled and took the cards, looking at each one for a long time.

Yuya wasn't sure when was a good time to speak, so he just blurted out the words: "What did you mean earlier, about Academia? And when you called me Yuri?"

Sora's eyes didn't leave Yuya's cards. He spoke quickly. "Oh, that. It's nothing, just an inside joke between me and a friend from my hometown. He looks a lot like you, actually."

Yuya recalled what Yuzu had said about the man with his face. "Looks like me?"

"Yeah, I guess," Sora replied curtly, intent on going no further with that tangent of conversation. He tilted one of the Pendulum Cards to the sky. "Hey, where'd you get these cards?"

"I…" Yuya paused, realizing how inane his response would sound. But he said it anyway. "I created them last week."

This statement drew Sora's attention away from the cards. "Created them?"

Yuya nodded. "I…Well, they just sort of happened. I was in a duel and they suddenly appeared. I can't exactly remember what happened though, or how." _Or why_ , he thought.

The inscrutable expression returned to Sora's face. His head bobbed up and down as he gave Yuya a once-over, trying to see if the boy was playing a joke on him. When he could find no evidence of sarcasm or flippancy, he smiled again.

"Interesting! You're a really interesting person, Yu…" Sora caught himself before Yuri's name fell from his lips. "Sorry, what did you say your name was again?"

"Yuya. Yuya Sakaki."

Holding out a hand, the blue-haired boy said, "I'm Sora Shiun'in. Nice to meet you – formally, I mean."

Yuya shook Sora's hand, repeating the words. His mental collage of Yuzu pulsed to life in his conscious, reflecting the image of Yuzu holding Polymerization, and he felt impelled to ask something else. "Hey."

"Hmm?"

"You Fusion Summoned, right? Does that mean you're an LDS student?"

"LDS?" Sora echoed, feigning ignorance. He cocked his head and tapped his chin as if considering a hidden meaning behind the letters.

"Leo Duel School, LDS for short. In most circumstances, only the students and professors of that school are able to learn Fusion. But if you're not a student there, where did you learn how to Fusion Summon?"

"Really?" Sora chuckled, amused by the Standard Dimension's strict limitations on summoning. "Everyone knows how to Fusion Summon where I'm from."

" _Everyone_? Just where is that?" Yuya couldn't possibly imagine that there was some place that the Leo Duel School's monopoly hadn't reached. But then he thought of Dennis who, while being affiliated with LDS, said he came from a different country, and he hesitated to think it was impossible that there was some place free from the LDS vice-grip. "Overseas?"

Sora gave a half-shrug. Still smiling, he replied, "Overseas? Hmm, I guess you could say that."

"What do you mean by…?"

Yuya nearly jumped out of his skin when a ringtone sliced through his question. He looked down and noticed the sound was coming from his Duel Disk. Then he noticed who was calling.

"Hello?" he said.

"Yuya, please come to You Show quickly." It was Yuzu's voice. "It's urgent."

"I'm on my way," said Yuya. Even without Yuzu's last declaration, Yuya could tell it was urgent by her tone. He didn't know what it was, but he knew he couldn't waste any time. "Hold on, Yuzu."

From behind Yuya, Sora's eyes narrowed at the mention of Yuzu's name. _Did he say Yuzu?_ He thought of the girl from earlier in the week, the one who let that Xyz user duel in her place. If he could find Yuzu or Serena or whatever that girl's name was, he could get his rematch with that man, he was sure. And this time he wouldn't be as merciful.

Yuya ended the call and turned to Sora. "Sorry," he apologized, "but something's come up and I have to go check on a friend of mine. So if it's not too much to ask–"

"Say no more." Sora said with a smile. He collected the Pendulum Cards, placed them in an orderly stack, and handed them back to Yuya.

"Maybe one day you can teach me how to Pendulum Summon, too, Yuya," he said, turning to walk away.

"Wait."

Sora glanced over his shoulder. He could see the desperate need for answers written on Yuya's face, and it made him smile.

Despite the urgency that had been in Yuzu's voice, there was something Yuya need to know. "Earlier you said that your friend, that Yuri, looks like me." Yuya gulped and decided to press his luck by continuing. _In for a penny_ , he thought. "Does…does Yuri have the same face as me?"

A movement zapped across Sora's face like a bolt of lightning. It had happened so rapidly that Yuya thought he might have imagined the whole thing, but he was wholly sure he had seen Sora's eyebrows draw together and mostly sure his left eye had twitched.

It wasn't much evidence to go off of, but it was something. It was enough.

"Someone having the same face as someone else?" Sora giggled. It was a light, airy giggled that had a hidden, almost forced element to it. "Is that even possible?"

"It sounds weird, I know," Yuya said. "I was just asking."

He turned around. "Anyway, I have to go. Maybe I'll catch you around. See you later." Waving to Sora, Yuya sprinted as fast as he could past pedestrians in the direction of You Show.

Sora waited for Yuya to get a sizeable head start, watching the boy's every movement. Then he ran after him. He would find the girl for sure this time, of that he could be sure. As he ran, he couldn't help but smile; it reminded him so much of the hunting games he and his comrades used to play.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

"Who did you just call?" Yugo said, watching as Yuzu folded her Duel Disk and put it back in place. When Yuzu said that it was Yuya, Yugo added, "The guy from earlier, huh? The one you said I looked like?"

Yuzu nodded. She spoke softly as though her words were fragile and easily breakable like glass. "I thought that if he saw you, maybe he would believe me."

"Believe you?"

Yuzu rubbed her left arm with her hand. "Lately, strange things have been happening, things that I can't explain. I have so many questions that I just don't understand." Her eyes began to water as she looked down at the dancing blades of grass. "Just who was that person who saved me a few nights ago? And what is Academia? Why is there someone who has the same face as me – and someone with the same face as you? What's going on?"

Yugo tentatively reached an arm out and touched Yuzu's shoulder comfortingly. "Hey, don't cry. It's all right."

Yuzu looked up, but it was too late. Tears were rolling down her cheeks.

"O-oi…" Yugo reached into one of his jacket pockets and retrieved a folded white handkerchief, passing it to Yuzu. "Things will work out with you, just like with me and Rin. I promise."

Yuzu took the handkerchief and dabbed her eyes. "How can you be so sure?"

"This card led me here, right?" Yugo squeezed the card in his hand. "There had to be a reason behind it, and I think it's because it's leading me to Rin."

"Yugo…"

"Every time it warps me somewhere, I feel like I'm getting closer to Rin. That's why I don't think of it as a totally bad thing, getting transported from dimension to dimension each time. Because…because I know one of those times, I'll see her again."

He rubbed the nape of his neck self-consciously, wondering if his feelings reached Yuzu. To his surprise, she smiled. It wasn't a large smile, but it was reassuring enough to make him smile, too.

Yuzu offered Yugo his handkerchief back, but he told her to keep it. She placed it in her pocket, then looked at him. "What did you mean earlier, when you said 'user of Xyz?'"

"Huh? Oh, that." Yugo looked past Yuzu, his face adopting a pensive expression. "Once, when I warped dimensions, I was taken to a place unlike anything I've seen, a city called Heartland. There was rubble everywhere and all the buildings were collapsed. The whole city was like a graveyard – no, like a battlefield."

Yuzu thought the word stood out from all the others. _Battlefield,_ she thought.

"That's when I saw him. There was a guy there that had the exact same face as me, and that's when I knew it: He was the bastard that took Rin from me. And he just stood there, almost like he was waiting for me to come at him. And so I did."

"And then what?"

"And then?" Yugo tapped his chin and looked up to the sky. "Well, I honestly don't remember what happened after that. When I came to, I was back my dimension, in the Commons where I grew up."

Yuzu drew a mental picture of the masked man. "The guy that you saw in that other dimension. Did he look–"

"Yuzu!"

Yuzu turned to her left to see Yuya running down the street, waving his arms over his head to signal for her. "Yuzu!" he shouted again.

So it was true after all, she thought. There were two different people that shared the same face. Just like with her and Serena – and maybe Rin now, too. Both Yuya and Yugo looked facially identical. She turned back to the latter and gasped.

Clear Wing shone a blinding white, which was complemented by the powerful glow now streaming from Yuzu's bracelet. This culminated in a lurid pink haze of light that surrounded the two duelists.

"Clear Wing!" Yugo shouted. "Wait, is it happening again?"

"It's shining again." Yuzu looked at her wrist. Closing her eyes, she scurried back because she could still feel the brightness behind her eyelids. Before she moved, she had the strangest fleeting thought. She thought that she saw Yugo's eyes glow solid green, but when she opened her eyes, he and his motorcycle were gone. So was the light from her bracelet.

"Yugo."

She turned back to Yuya, who on his hands and knees on the sidewalk, one hand over his chest as he struggled for air. She yelled his name and raced up the stairs to him.

Darkness clouded Yuya's vision. He felt the sidewalk underneath him, but he couldn't see it. He heard Yuzu speaking to him, but her words were garbled and unintelligible. Her voice was mere background noise, trapped behind a solitary sound that filled Yuya's mind.

He heard the roar of a dragon, _his_ dragon. He knew that the roar belonged to Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon. But why was he hearing it now, while his chest was on fire and his vision was weakening? And why did it sound so loud and so vivid…and so real? He couldn't understand any of it.

But then it was gone. The noise, the chest pain, the darkened vision. All of it disappeared in a flash.

"Yuya!" he heard Yuzu shout. "Answer me, please!"

"Yuzu?" He looked at her, feebly making his way to his knees before standing. Yuzu wrapped an arm around Yuya to help his balance. He thanked her.

"What's going on?" Yuzu asked. "This is the fourth time that you've done this in the past week alone. If there's something that's wrong, Yuya…"

"It's nothing," Yuya replied. "It's just stress or something. I must have been worrying myself too much over this duel tomorrow." He chuckled, trying hard to believe his own words. He looked at Yuzu's concerned face, adding, "Really, I'm fine. I feel better already. I'm just a little overstressed, that's all."

Yuya broke eye contact, looking instead at You Show. He tried to imitate the dragon roar in his mind, but it didn't come out right. He wondered how it had sounded so real before.

"Did you see me with someone when you got here?"

Yuya looked back to Yuzu. He wasn't expecting a question like that. His mind flashed back to a couple minutes before, but he couldn't remember much. He had been running through the streets, and right before he saw Yuzu was when his vision started to blur.

"No, I didn't see anyone," he said. "Was I supposed to?"

Yuzu bit her lip. "Yuya," she began, speaking through her half-opened mouth.

Her voice was so soft that Yuya hadn't heard it as he talked over her: "Oh, wait. What was the urgent thing that you needed, Yuzu? I remember running here as fast as I could just now."

Yuzu looked back to the spot near the river where she had been standing. Standing with Yugo. It was empty now, save for the dirt-encrusted motorcycle tracks from the previous day. That was hardly evidence, she knew.

She reached into her pocket, touching the handkerchief that Yugo had given her. Yuya would no doubt consider that flimsy evidence, too.

"Yuzu?"

She swallowed hard, looking at Yuya. There was so much she wanted to say. But she didn't say any of it. "Dad wanted you here," she lied. "He's letting Dennis teach another Xyz lesson in a couple minutes, and he wanted all of us to be there for it."

"Oh, is that right?" Yuya's face and voice were impassive. As they walked across the street to You Show, he thought of the girl that he had passed earlier, the one he had mistaken for Yuzu. "Yuzu."

"Yes?"

"You weren't in town earlier, were you? Near LDS?"

"No, I've been here since school ended. Why do you ask?"

Yuya remembered what Yuzu had said in class a couple days back. "There's no way someone can have the same face as you, Yuya," she'd stated. "Or me."

But why had she added that last part?

"No reason," Yuya answered as they walked into You Show together.

When the two were in the building, Sora walked onto the sidewalk. He had been watching the two from an alleyway behind a building, only a block away. He stared at You Show.

 _So, this is where she's hiding, huh?_ He eyed the building, passing silent judgement. _To think that Yuya knew where she was all along. Oh, well._

He grabbed a chocolate bar from his pocket, tore off the wrapper with his teeth, and took a bite, satisfied. The hunt was over. He turned his back on the school and walked away, planning his next move. One thought seemed to hang over the others in his mind.

 _I've finally found you, Serena._

As he left, he was unaware of the person hiding in the shadows between You Show and the apartment complex to the right of it. The person, too, had seen the interaction between Yuya and Yuzu, but unlike Sora, he had also been there when for Yugo and Yuzu's conversation. Unfortunately, he didn't hear any of it.

Stepping out from the shadows was Dennis. He sighed.

"Man, first it was the three guys from yesterday, and now it's some motorcyclist. Good grief."

But he supposed it wasn't a completely fruitless effort. He hadn't retrieved Yuzu like he wanted, but he did notice something intriguing about the guy she had been talking with. He knew not to underestimate the power of information, and that's exactly what he had received.

"So he's the one from the Synchro Dimension, huh?" he thought aloud, thinking back to the Synchro Monster he had showed Yuzu. "Just like Yuya and Yuri."

Dennis looked at spot where Yugo had been talking with Yuzu. Smiling, he walked to You Show's entrance. Opening the doors, he laughed and said, "This is starting to get interesting."

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OCG/Anime/Custom Cards Shown In This Chapter –

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Entermate Helprincess (Monster)**

Warrior/Level 4/Effect/DARK

1200 ATK/1200 DEF

Effect: When you Normal Summon or Special Summon an "Entermate" monster(s), except "Entermate Helprincess" (except during the Damage Step): You can Special Summon this card from your hand.

Note: This card can be found in the Dimension of Chaos Booster Pack. It is currently slated for release in the United States in November, 2015.

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Author's Note: The day that Yuya has been preparing for has finally come. He faces off against Reiji Akaba and finds himself in the hardest duel of his life. And as he tries to surmount a defense against a seeming insurmountable offense, Reiji pulls out an unexpected tactic. What is it? Find out next time!


	8. A New Threat! Enter, Akaba Reiji

Author's Note: Hey, all! Betcha thought you'd never hear from me again, huh? I want to first preface by apologizing for taking this long to put out a new chapter. I won't bore you with the litany of excuses that prevented me from posting this chapter _a lot_ sooner, as well as getting on here in general – which range from computer failure to college senior year time management to the messy "real life issues" category (ugh, don't get me started!).

But, I'm back for good this time. I really, really wanted to continue this story the whole time, and I really want to thank everyone who's been waiting so patiently for the next installment of this chapter – and also the people who found/favorite/reviewed/read/etc. this story during its "down time." It really does brighten my day. And don't worry, I don't foresee any more massive hiatuses like that in the near future, thank goodness. So hold on tight, because it only gets more chaotic from here. Trust me, when it comes to this story, the "fun" has just begun!

And with that, I hope all enjoy this welcome-back chapter.

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 **Chapter 8: A New Threat! Enter, Akaba Reiji**

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Yuya awoke before the sun that Saturday morning, a rarity for him. While the world was still dark and cloudy outside his bedroom window, he brushed his teeth, showered, dressed, and made himself breakfast, though it was only six in the morning and his duel with Reiji wouldn't be for another few hours. He convinced himself that it was for the best, and it was. He couldn't sleep anyway, not with the excitement surging through his body like molten lava.

As he stood at the kitchen sink scrubbing remnants of dried breakfast food from his plate, Yuya's mind wandered. What business could someone like Reiji possibly have with him? And why had he so suddenly requested a duel? An officious army of questions sprang to life in Yuya's mind, bombarding his psyche in a ruthless and futile demand for answers.

Yuya shook his head to clear the relentless thoughts, and a single image appeared in his mind's eye: He saw the warehouse from the previous day's news segment, remembering the fresh claws marks that marred the metal doors.

 _Was that damage really caused by a duel?_ Yuya wondered. He had his doubts – there had never been any prior instances of Real-Solid Vision physically manifesting outside of a game, after all.

But there was still the issue of the Fusion Monster that had been found at the scene of the crime – if it even was a crime.

Yuya sighed. He didn't know why the thought had come to him until he superimposed Yuzu's voice over it: "My dad wanted me to get to You Show early today to help him with something. I'll see you there later, right?" she had said yesterday when Yuya mentioned the news broadcast, right before turning away and running off to the duel school. Yuya wondered why he was so bothered by the fragmented memory.

"Jeez, why did she have to run away like that?" he said, placing the now-clean plate in the dishrack and toweling his hands dry. Leaning against the kitchen table, he closed his eyes, playing and replaying that image of Yuzu in his mind. The more he thought, the less sense it made. In fact, nothing seemed to make much sense lately.

He was arrested by another flicker of memory. He recalled Yuzu asking him whether or not he was 'the real Yuya,' whatever that meant. He didn't think much of it the first time, but after the third time she'd asked, the question seemed to stick in Yuya's mind like gum under a desk.

 _Come to think of it,_ he thought, _Yuzu's been acting strange lately. Something is definitely different with her._

He racked his mind in search of a solution but came up short. He didn't care to think about it too hard, though. He felt guilty enough for mistrusting Yuzu.

Outside, the twitters of birds sank in through the kitchen window. Tree branches gently swayed in the morning breeze. On the horizon, the sun's presence was faintly visible.

He stood up straight and shuffled back to his room. Grabbing his deck from his nightstand, he returned to the kitchen. One at a time, he spread the stack of cards on the table, looking at each one. If nothing else, it was a welcome distraction from his mental clutter.

Soon enough, the table was brimming with cards. Yuya's eyes ran up and down pile, examining each one with the acuity of a drill sergeant inspecting his cadets. He stopped at the card closest to him, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon. He picked it up and turned it over.

It dawned on Yuya now that he still hadn't discovered just how he had created Pendulum Summoning. He had tried to recall the incident a few times before, unsuccessfully. It was as though the last turn of his duel against Strong Ishijima had been expunged from his mind.

He also wondered why all of his cards weren't transformed into Pendulum Cards. For whatever reason, the switch had happened only for half of the monsters in his deck.

Thinking back to Strong Ishijima caused a domino effect for Yuya. When that memory crumbled, another took its place. This time, instead of Ishijima, Yuya visualized Sawatari lying prone on the ground after their duel, another incident that he had no recollection of causing.

He held the side of his head, hoping for a thought, a clue – an answer – no matter how trivial or minute. A voice broke his focus.

"Smile."

Yuya's head shot up. He looked startled to see his mother standing on the other side of the kitchen table. He had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he hadn't even heard her come in.

"Smile," his mother said again.

Yuya looked at the kitchen window. It was still dark enough outside to where he could see his reflection in the glass. A stranger wearing a frown, with one hand on the side of his head, looked back at him. Yuya was quick to proffer his mother a hollow smile.

"Right," he said, throwing in a feigned chuckle. He hoped that his mother would accept his artificial contentment without questioning it. "I must have been distracted."

If Yoko had had any doubts about Yuya's words or actions, she didn't voice them. She looked down at the cards lining the table. Then she reached into her jeans pocket, running her fingers along the card inside.

Yuya followed his mother's gaze. "I'll clean them up if you need the table," he said, leaning forward to collect the cards.

"If he could see you now, your father would be so proud of you."

Yuya stopped mid-motion, head shooting up for a second time. He lowered his hand, easing back in his chair. "Dad?"

"He always made everyone smile with his dueling, friends and enemies alike," Yoko said, smiling herself. In the dim kitchen light, her smile appeared divided. "He went around saying things like 'Dueling isn't a tool for conflict and anger' and 'Duels can make everyone happy.' Jeez, he was quite the character."

"Duels can make everyone happy," Yuya said quietly. He looked at Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon.

Yoko laughed to herself as if someone had told her a joke. "I thought those phrases were silly at the time. 'How can anyone enjoy something so serious?' I wondered."

Yoko looked at the refrigerator, where a photograph of Yusho sat underneath a magnet. "But I suppose that's what drew me into him. He was so…so unlike anyone else."

"Mom," Yuya said. He was unsure what to say. It had been so long since he'd heard his mother talk about his father outside of periodic passing remarks.

"He could break up a fight or stop an argument without anyone getting hurt, just through his dueling. Just through his smile."

Yoko paused. "You remind me more of him every day."

Without thinking, Yuya reached for his pendant.

Yoko's grip on the card in her pocketed tightened, as did her resolve. She withdrew her hand, offering the card to Yuya.

"This was your father's. He wanted you to have it someday, but only when you were ready, when you had a need for it. That was his wish."

Tentatively, Yuya took the card from his mother, turning it around. He was taken aback by the card's cheerful image.

"Smile World," he read. He scanned the card. "This is Dad's wish…"

"Your father gave that card to me the night we met," said Yoko, regaining Yuya's attention. "When I was faced with a challenging trial, your father was there to make me – to make everyone – smile."

Yoko turned to look out the window. The sky had taken on a purple hint, signaling the approach of morning. She said, "You have a big duel today, perhaps the most challenging trial you've had so far."

She stared into her son's eyes, hoping the poor lighting would disguise her own reminiscent sadness. "That's why I'm sure it's the right time to give you that card."

Yuya looked from the card to Yoko. "Mom…"

Turning back to stare out the window, Yoko said, "Remember this well: No matter what you do, no matter where you go, never forget your smile, and never forget the power that it has in this world. You can bridge the whole world through dueling if you make people smile."

Yuya placed Smile Word beside Odd-Eyes. He suddenly felt a sense of internal emptiness. Like a dam, the dormant sorrow that he had locked away was roused at the thought of his father. But he wouldn't allow himself to frown. Even if it was just for his mother's sake, he would remember his smile.

"Make people smile through dueling," Yuya parroted.

Nodding to himself, he pushed out his chair. With a large swipe of his arm, he clustered all of his cards in a disheveled stack and put them in his pocket. He said, "Thanks, Mom. I've decided what I'm going to do."

Yoko smiled again, and this time Yuya thought he saw a veiled emotion hidden underneath her expression, but it was nigh impossible to tell without the kitchen light on.

"And what's that?" she said.

"I'll make sure to give it to everyone during my duel today. Smiles!" Yuya made a fist and held it over his chest. "I'll make everyone smile from the bottom of their hearts!"

"I know," said Yoko.

Fastening his school jacket, Yuya looked at his mother. "I'm going now. See you, Mom!"

Yoko returned the formality, watching as Yuya threw open the front door and ran out into the dark, unknown world.

Before taking a seat the kitchen table, Yoko grabbed the phone from its cradle. Dialing a number she knew by heart, she listened to the dial tone. It rang twice before the person on the other end answered.

"I decided it was time," Yoko said. "Yes, I gave him the card. All we can do now is believe in him."

As Yoko listened to the man's reply, her eyes once more fell to the photograph on the refrigerator.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Yuya sat on the edge of the riverbank in front of You Show, tracing circles in the dirt with his index finger. He noted the faint imprint of motorcycle tracks in the dirt but didn't think much of it.

The morning sun had overtaken the darkness, ushering in the first glimpses of daybreak. The river water splashed and glinted under the strength of the sunrays. Yuya placed a hand above his eyes to shield them from the glare. Rubbing sun blotches from his eyes, Yuya brought his hand down. He fished his deck out of his pocket. He turned it over, noting the top card on the stack: Smile World.

As much as Yuya hated to admit it, the card's effect didn't strike him as being particularly strong. In fact, he could think of at least five Action Cards off the top of his head that eclipsed the card.

Still, there was a sentimental value to it that made it a one-of-a-kind treasure all its own, and Yuya felt a deep respect for that. Just having it – just holding it – made him feel like he was one step closer to reaching his father, wherever Yusho was.

 _Smile World,_ Yuya thought as he picked it up. He examined it as though searching for some hidden purpose, some concealed meaning. He found none. _This card is the symbol of Mom and Dad's…_

For the second time that day, a voice caught Yuya off-guard.

"I knew you'd be here."

Yuya whipped around, promptly recognizing the owner of the voice. Staring down at him was none other than Yuzu.

"Yuzu."

"You always come here when something big is on your mind," she said. She marked a spot in the dirt with the toe of her shoe. "Do you mind if I sit here?"

Yuya gave her a half-smile. "You don't have to ask that, you know."

"I know," she said, and sat down. She said, "Gongenzaka and the others are already inside."

"Already, huh?" Yuya said. He suddenly found small talk very tedious.

Though they sat no more than a foot apart, Yuya and Yuzu said nothing to one another. They stared in different directions, Yuya at the rows of Maiami City buildings, Yuzu at the motorcycle tracks.

"Yuya."

"Huh?" Yuya's head spun in Yuzu's direction, though her eyes were still set on the dirt.

Yuzu wanted to ask him everything. She wanted to know if he had been the one to duel Sora in her place earlier that week; she wanted to know if he had been involved in the attack on the warehouse; she wanted to know if he knew anything about Rin's disappearance; she wanted to know why he had asked her if she'd been near LDS yesterday; she wanted to know what he thought about the idea of different dimensions existing; she wanted to know if he knew that Yugo was probably walking around Maiami City right now with the same face as him.

Instead, she said, "Never mind, it's nothing," and her eyes fell.

In the silence, Yuya thought back to the dream he'd had, where he had dueled against Reiji. He now wondered what Reiji would act like, what kind of person he would be. Above all, though, he promised himself that he would make Reiji, and everyone else, smile. He thought he owed his parents that much.

He wondered what he owed Yuzu. She had always been there for him, supporting him, encouraging him, pushing him to become both a better duelist and entertainer. She hadn't gone away emptyhanded for all her efforts, but Yuya wondered just how reciprocal their friendship was.

He at least owed her a decent conversation.

"Yuzu…"

But it seemed like decent conversation would have to take a backseat.

No sooner had Yuya began his reconciliation than a black limousine pulled up in front of You Show, honking its horn twice. Yuya and Yuzu were at once paralyzed with a mixture of wonder and anticipation. They knew quite well what this meant.

The two stood in unison, crossing the riverbank and ascending the stairs. As if on cue, as Yuya and Yuzu climbed the last stair, the limousine back door opened. Three people emerged.

The first was a rather tall woman, wearing a matching pink skirt and blouse. Her perfectly-curled hair was a few shades darker than her outfit. The woman wore gold earrings and neck rings that might have been considered gaudy on her, had it not been for the superior air of professionalism that she seemed to exude. She looked at You Show, and for a brief second a look of disgust crossed her face. It was instantaneously replaced by a mischievous smirk.

The second person was considerably younger. In fact, he looked about the same elementary school age as Ayu, Futoshi, and Tatsuya. He wore a baggy turquoise hoody that made him resemble a turtle when he slouched, which was often. In his hands he held a patchwork teddy bear, cream-colored save for the purple patch on the right side of its face.

Then he came.

Emerging last from the car was the same gray-haired boy, wearing the same red scarf and blue sweater that Yuya had dreamt about – the illustrious Akaba Reiji. He pushed up his glasses, surveying the world with his penetrating purple eyes. As Gongenzaka, Dennis, Shuzo, and the three You Show kids filed out of the building to see the cause of the commotion, Reiji's eyes found Yuya's.

"Sakaki Yuya," he said. "What a pleasure it is to finally meet you."

"Akaba Reiji…" Yuya unconsciously reached for his pendant, feeling the cool touch of the crystal against his palm.

Noticing Yuya's silence, Shuzo interrupted. "Akaba Reiji, please, come in, come in!" he said, gesturing to the entrance doors. "We'll show you to the duel room."

"Thank you," Reiji said. He and the two people with him followed Shuzo, with Gongenzaka and the other You Show students in tow. Yuya and Yuzu exchanged a look, trying to read each other's facial expression. The task was made all the more difficult for Yuzu as Yugo's face – or at least his eyes – mentally collided with Yuya's, creating a messy, heterochromatic face.

She shook her head, making her way forward. Yuya frowned but followed her.

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From fifty feet in the air the bombs dropped. The man cowered in fear, watching helplessly as came crashing down, exploding and reducing his Life Points to 0. The falcon responsible for the annihilation flew off into the morning sun before vanishing. The only trace of its existence was the claw mark on the alleyway building.

The defeated man dropped to his knees as though in supplication.

Mercy was not afforded.

With the click of a button, a flash of purple light shot from a blue Duel Disk, owned by a man in a tattered blue trench coat. He wore sunglasses and a red scarf to cover his lower face. He was of the philosophy that only the worthy opponents were allowed to see his face, a last privilege afforded to them before they were beaten and carded.

As the man thought this, his Duel Disk beeped. A card slid from it. It had no text, and the border was plain. The image on it was that of his latest victim.

He scoffed, throwing the card on the ground without neither the faintest hint of mercy nor remorse. The victim's card landed next to an upturned Duel Monster – Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk, a Fusion Monster.

The man in the trench coat walked off in search of his next prey.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Shuzo suddenly looked surprised as he noticed the curly-haired woman for what seemed like the first time. They all stood in the spectator room, making introductions. "Wait, aren't you…?"

"Yes," the woman said. Her smirk extended, no doubt from being recognized. "I am the current Chairwoman of LDS. My name is Akaba Himika."

"And this is my brother, Akaba Reira," said Reiji, motioning to the small boy hugging his teddy bear. At the mention of his name, the boy flinched and squeezed the bear tighter, withdrawing behind Himika.

Yuya noticed the action, but said nothing. He would just have to make this Reira kid smile, too.

"I'm Yuya," he said, though the introduction was unwarranted. He introduced his friends, starting with Gongenzaka. After going through the list, he finally said, "And this is Yuzu, the principal's daughter."

Though Reiji had no physical outward emotion, his eyes seemed to stay longer when he noticed Yuzu. He examined her clothes, her hair, her face, her eyes.

Yuzu, feeling a little embarrassed by this, cleared her throat.

"You'll have to forgive me," Reiji said, pushing his glasses up again. "You just resemble someone that I know."

"Eh?" Yuzu's eyes widened.

Reiji turned to Yuya. "If there's nothing else to do, shall we begin, then?"

Yuya gulped and nodded. He turned to Shuzo and gave a salute.

Shuzo returned the gesture, making his way toward the Real-Solid Vision projector. Taking his place by the machine, Shuzo waited until both duelists were readied in the duel room to start up the Action Field selector.

"You can choose which field we play on," Reiji said. His head was angled upward, toward Shuzo, though the words came at Yuya.

Yuya threw a hand in the air, giving the choice to Shuzo.

The principal clicked through the options, thinking. When one of them appeared, he grinned.

 _Magical Broadway,_ he read. _Yosh! If Yuya was able to beat Dennis, who's an LDS student, on this field, he just needs to recreate that to defeat Akaba Reiji._

"This is in honor of the vanguard of Action Duels, Sakaki Yusho," said Shuzo. "Action Field, on. Field Magic, Magical Broadway!"

The Real-Solid Vision machine whirred to life, filling the room with spots of color. Sparkles of light flashed as Magical Broadway appeared, complete with its dance studios, billboards, theatres, and other buildings. Hula-hoops of light floated in midair. The ceiling was canvased a dark blue with stars.

 _This is it,_ Yuya thought. _My dream is finally coming true._

Shuzo grabbed the microphone from the control room and started to chant. "Duelists locked in battle!"

The younger kids took up the mantle. "Kicking against the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters! They storm through this field! Behold! This is the newest and greatest evolution of Dueling!"

"Action…" Dennis said. This part, at least, he remembered.

"Duel!" Yuya and Reiji shouted, and an orb of Action Cards burst and scattered at their feet.

 **(Yuya Sakaki: 4000 LP/Reiji Akaba: 4000 LP)**

Taking a deep breath and flashing Reiji a smile, Yuya said, "Let's have a fun duel."

Reiji remained impassive. "I'll give you the first turn for accepting my duel request."

"Me first? Seriously?" Yuya pointed to himself. "That's a really kind gesture."

"Kind?"

Nodding, Yuya elaborated. "Sure. Even though the player who takes the first move can't draw a card or attack, they can still set up their strategies, usually before their opponent has time to react. You've essentially given me a huge advantage."

"I see," Reiji said. Pausing for a moment, he added, "So that's how you think."

"Eh?"

"I will truthfully tell you this now: It was not kindness that spurred my decision. I did it to verify something with my own eyes."

"Verify something?"

"That's right. Now, will you show it to me, the power of your Pendulum Summon?"

"So that's the reason, huh?" Yuya chuckled. "Well, whatever your motive for giving me the first move, I'll gladly accept it. I'm going now."

Yuya scanned his cards. He was fortunate enough to have drawn a decent hand, and against someone as esteemed as Reiji, no less. "Sorry to disappoint, but I can't afford to rush into a Pendulum Summon just yet. But I promise to give an opening act that's just as entertaining."

Plucking a card from his hand, he said, "I summon Entermate Skullcrobat Joker!"

The suited blond acrobat appeared before Yuya, laughing. (1800 ATK)

"When it's successfully summoned, Skullcrobat Joker allows me to add Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon from my deck to my hand."

Odd-Eyes popped out of the deck holster, and Yuya took it and stared. He couldn't afford to hold back now, not against this opponent. "Now I, using the Scale 4 Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, set the Pendulum Scale!"

To the spectators' surprise, Odd-Eyes appeared in a pillar of light to his left. (Scale: 4)

"Eh?" Futoshi cried. "He's setting just one scale again?"

"And it's his trump card, too," said Gongenzaka. "What are you planning, Yuya?"

"Not to worry, my faithful audience. Odd-Eyes will definitely be present for today's show," Yuya called from the Action Field. "In the meantime, I set one card facedown and end my turn."

A card materialized in front of Yuya.

"Now, during the End Phase, I activate the Pendulum Effect of Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

Odd-Eyes roared once before bursting into evanescent particles, causing the light pillar to vanish.

"By destroying this card in my Pendulum Zone, I can add, from my deck to my hand, any Pendulum Monster with an attacking power of 1500 or less.

"Moreover, when destroyed, Pendulum Monsters are sent to the Extra Deck!"

Yuya's Extra Deck slot opened and he placed Odd-Eyes inside. Then he searched his deck, grabbed a card, and nodded again, signaling the official end of his turn.

Now he was ready for whatever was Reiji threw his way.

After what felt like eternal silence, Reiji spoke. "Sakaki Yuya. The son of Sakaki Yusho, the pioneer of Action Duels."

"Huh? You know my father?" Yuya stammered. He supposed it wasn't unlikely that Reiji knew who his father was, but why was he bringing it up now, in the middle of a duel? And just what did Reiji know, exactly? Was it good – and what if it wasn't?

"Naturally, I know of him," replied Reiji. "He was the trailblazer that created the very Action Duel we're engaged in, and he was an inspiration to many, including myself. And, naturally, I respect him from the bottom of my heart for that."

Despite Reiji's kindhearted words, Yuya couldn't shake his feeling of unease.

"Yes, Yusho Sakaki was a good man," Reiji further lauded. "To advance the world of dueling so much, he is absolutely someone that I hold in high regard. And that's why…"

Yuya watched as Reiji lifted his head and their eyes met. For a brief second, Yuya was surprised to see Reiji's normally stoic eyes blazing with a baleful ferocity.

"That's exactly why, in this very duel, I will show you the full extent of my abilities, and the full extent of the Action Duel that your father so cherished!"

Reiji turned to his deck, asserting, "My turn, draw!"

With a flourish, he drew his card and turned it over, saying, "Continuous Spell, activate. Contract with the Hellgate."

A Spell Card appeared before him with an image of a scroll sitting before a demonic gateway.

"As long as this card is face-up," he explained calmly, "during each of my Standby Phases, I will receive 1000 points of damage."

"What?" Yuya gasped.

Dennis whistled. "1000 points of damage each turn."

Yuzu said, "Within four turns, a card like that would completely drain all his Life Points. Why would someone like him play a card like that?"

Shuzo leered at the card and then at its owner. _Let's see if the rumors about him are true. Show us how you duel, Akaba Reiji…_

"Is this how a professional duelist plays?" Yuya asked himself.

"In exchange," Reiji added without missing a beat, "Contract with the Hellgate, once per turn, allows me to add a DD monster from my deck to my hand."

A card sprang from Reiji's deck and he showed it to Yuya. "I add DD Lilith to my hand."

"DD?" Ayu repeated.

Futoshi said, "I've never heard of them, either."

"DD. It means Different Dimension," Dennis explained, drawing the attention of his peers. "It's the name used to classify a group of monsters from parallel planes of dimensionality."

"Whoa, you're really smart, Dennis," Futoshi said, prompting the redhead to laugh and wave off the praise. While Futoshi and the others turned back to the duel, Yuzu's gaze lingered on Dennis.

Reiji turned to the spectator room. Like Yuzu, his eyes were locked on Dennis. "Are you from this school, too?"

"Well, I was originally a student in the LDS Broadway division before switching to this school," said Dennis, smiling. "I must say, though, yours is a school that certainly knows how to teach its students well."

"I see," Reiji said, ignoring Dennis's sycophancy and turning back to Yuya.

"Next," Reiji went on, "I activate another Continuous Spell. Contract with the Swamp King."

Another Spell appeared, bearing an image of a swamp monster melting in front of a tombstone.

"Another Contract," said Gongenzaka.

Yuya could only guess what was coming next. "Does that mean…"

Reiji confirmed his suspicions. "This Spell, for as long as it's face-up, will inflict 1000 damage to me during each of my Standby Phases. In exchange, once per turn, Contract with the Swamp King allows me to, without the use of a Fusion Spell, use two monsters from my hand for the Fusion Summon of a Fiend-Type monster."

"Fusion Summon, you said?" Astonishment etched itself across Yuya's face like a canvas.

"Fusion," Yuzu repeated. She looked down at her pocket, where her deck was.

"Fusion Summoning without a Fusion card?" Dennis took a step back, eyes widening. "Is such a thing even possible?"

"Hmph, so this guy was a Fusion user this whole time," Gongenzaka said.

"But now that big bro Yuya knows that, he just has to destroy that Contract card!" said Futoshi.

"But it's going to cause his opponent 1000 damage during the Standby Phase, right?" Ayu reminded him. "If he destroys it, it might be to that guy's benefit."

"And besides, I don't think it's as easy as that," Tatsuya stated.

"Eh? What do you mean?" Futoshi asked.

Tatsuya shook his head. "I can't explain it, but I think there's more to his strategy than just this."

"Amazing." Yuya stared at Reiji, astounded. He held a hand to his chest, grasping his pendant. _So he's coming at me with a Fusion Summon on his first turn. That's to be expected of someone who's at a professional level of dueling._

"Contract with the Swamp King's effect," Reiji said, sliding two cards into his Graveyard. "By fusing the DD Lilith and DD Berfomet in my hand, I will call forth a new power!"

Two monsters floated above Reiji. The first, DD Lilith, was a female monster with a pink breastplate, shoulder pads, and cape, fashioned to look like rose petals. The second, DD Berfomet, was golden and muscular, and had gray wings on its back, red horns on its head, a long curly tail, and metallic clamps on its left leg and mouth.

A swirling circle of red and blue brought each of the monsters together as Reiji chanted:

"Seductress of the dark night, grotesque god of the occult. Amidst the light swirling in the Netherworld, become one and give birth to a new king!"

Appearing before Reiji was a heroic looking monster with a red eight foot sword in its right hand and a matching shield in its left. The monster had gray skin that was layered with red and blue armor, and through the tiny slits on the monster's face mask, its piercing green eyes seemed to stare into the depths of Yuya's soul. (2000 ATK)

"Fusion Summon! Be born! DDD Temujin the Raging Inferno King!"

"DDD?" Dennis yelled, startling the younger You Show kids. _Could it really be…?_

Yuya stared at the virtual field on his D-Pad and tapped Temujin's card, nodding to himself.

 _Calm down. It's just that one monster. If it comes to it, I can use my facedown card to…_

"It's not that simple, I'm afraid," Reiji said, accurately assessing Yuya's intent.

"What?"

"I have yet to Normal Summon a monster," said Reiji. He took one of the three remaining cards in his hand. "As such, I will now summon the Tuner Monster, DD Night Howling!"

A dark cloud appeared at Reiji's feet, and a peculiar monster rose from it. It looked like a giant pair of red lips with angry orange eyes attached to them. (300 ATK)

"Did you say Tuner Monster?" Yuya responded.

"When it's Normal Summoned, DD Night Howling," Reiji said, "can resurrect a DD monster in my Graveyard, with its ATK and DEF set to zero. Return to me, DD Lilith!"

Another dark cloud formed, bringing with it DD Lilith. Her green tendrils wrapped around Night Howling for support. (100 – 0 ATK)

Reiji threw a hand above his head, a sign that all of the duelists recognized.

"By tuning the Level 4 DD Lilith and Level 3 DD Night Howling, I will call forth a new power!"

Night Howling dissolved into three blips of green light, which transformed into hoops large enough to host DD Lilith's body. Lilith jumped through them, its body becoming a golden silhouette before devolving into four green stars. Piercing white light shot from below the hoops.

All the while, Reiji's chanting could be heard over the ray of light:

"Howls that tear through the night. With the swiftness of a gale, give birth to a new king!"

A rush of wind called forth a new warrior, its green cape fluttering behind it. Glistening from head to toe in shining silver armor was a warrior that was the same height as Temujin. Shiny gems were fixed onto the armor, these ones opal instead of gold. As the monster aimed its enormous saber at Yuya, its red eyes flared. (2500 ATK)

"Synchro Summon! Be born! Level 7, DDD Alexander the Gale King!"

"No way," Yuya said. He took a step back, nearly tripping over his own shoelaces. "He performed two types of summons on his first turn."

"So this is your true strength," Shuzo mumbled. "Akaba Reiji…"

"A Synchro Summon, too?" Gongenzaka yelled. "You mean this guy wasn't just a Fusion user?"

Yuzu held a hand to her chest, above her heart. "Yuya…"

"That's not all," Reiji added. "Temujin the Raging Inferno King's monster effect activates when a DD monster is Special Summoned to my field."

Temujin pointed his sword to his right and a layer of flames engulfed it.

"Temujin's effect, once per turn, allows me Special Summon a DD monster from my Graveyard. Revive once more, DD Lilith!"

DD Lilith reappeared before Reiji, this time in her full glory. (100 ATK)

"Furthermore, once per turn, when DD Lilith is summoned, I can activate one of two different effects. I choose to activate the first effect, which allows me to take another DD monster from my Graveyard and add it to my hand."

A card emerged from Reiji's discard slot. "I return DD Night Howling to my hand."

Reiji reached into his Graveyard again. "Additionally, once per turn, DDD Alexander can resurrect a low-Level DD monster in my Graveyard when another DD monster" – he pointed to DD Lilith – "is Normal or Special Summoned. Revive, DD Berfomet!"

DD Berfomet returned next to DD Lilith, roaring gutturally behind its muzzle. (1400 ATK)

"No way," Yuya repeated, his voice no more than a whisper lost among Alexander's gales.

"On my field there are two Level 4 monsters," Reiji stated matter-of-factly.

Yuzu was the first one among the You Show spectators to understand what Reiji meant. Her jaw became slack as the image of a dragon flashed in her mind. "He's going to…"

"By overlaying the Level 4 DD Lilith and Level 4 DD Berfomet on my field, I will call forth a new power!"

A black portal opened above the two monsters. Berfomet and Lilith ascended into it, and an explosion brought with it a jolt of lightning as Reiji gave one final chant:

"In order to reign over the entire world, descend now and take what is yours!"

Reiji's newest monster wielded a seven foot long blade that was almost as big as its body. The monster was another gallant warrior, adorned in bulky blue armor. Four spiked blades jutted from its back. Unlike the others, orbiting around this monster were two blue orbs of light, the same blue as the monster's armor: Overlay Units. (2400 ATK)

"Xyz Summon! Be born! Rank 4, DDD Caesar the Surging Waves King!"

Almost everyone watching the duel was speechless. In fact, it was only Himika who seemed to be unsurprised by the outcome of Reiji's first turn.

"As expected of my Reiji," she said, grinning snidely and clapping her hands for added effect, causing the boy behind her to draw inward and hold his teddy bear tighter to his chest.

"He performed a Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz Summon on his first turn." Yuya tried swallowing the lump of fear caught in his throat, to no avail.

Reiji looked at the three monsters on his field. "DDD – Different Dimension Demon."

The three monsters stood ready, all turning to face Yuya, as did Reiji himself.

"The preparations are complete," he said. "Now it's time that I gave you a taste of it, of true Action Dueling, and of the power of the kings who subjugate alternate planes!"

Reiji pointed a finger to Skullcrobat Joker, and Temujin raised its sword.

"Strike, DDD Temujin! Your target is Entermate Skullcrobat Joker!"

Temujin steadied its sword, coating the blade in a whirlwind of flames.

Yuya quickly eyed his facedown card, recalling his plan.

"Oh, no, you don't!" he shouted, clicking a button on his Duel Disk. "Trap Card, open! Entertainment Flash!"

His facedown card flipped over.

"This card, if I have an Entermate monster on the field, changes all Attack Position monsters on my opponent's field to Defense Position!"

Laughing, Skullcrobat Joker removed its top hat. A ray of rainbow light shot from it, blinding all three of the DDD monsters, who dropped their weapons and covered their eyes, falling to their knees. (1500, 2000, and 1200 DEF, respectively)

"Moreover, those monsters can't change their battle positions until the end of the next turn."

Reiji didn't react. Instead, he looked down at the three cards in his hand, then grabbed the two that weren't DD Night Howling.

"I set two cards facedown," he said, and they appeared behind Temujin and Caesar. "Turn end."

Yuya made a face as he looked at the four cards in his hand, all of which were monsters. Unfortunately, while two were Pendulum Monsters, with their incompatible Scales he couldn't Pendulum Summon anything. In just one turn, the auspicious advantage that he thought he'd over Reiji had been, right before his very eyes, upturned.

 _Incredible,_ thought Yuya, and then he caught himself saying it aloud. "To have used all three summoning methods in one turn, you're amazing."

He clutched his pendant. "But I would be letting everyone down if I just gave up now. It's true that I can't use any of those summoning methods, but I do have the Pendulum Summon that's unique to me. So if you're coming at me with all you've got, then I'll do the same!"

He let go of the pendant and grabbed for his deck. "It's my turn. Draw!" he said, doing just that. When he turned the card around, his eyes sparkled.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" he shouted. He listened to the cheers from the younger You Show students before continuing. "Here is the moment you've all been waiting for: today's main event! Allow me to show you the Entertainment Duel that is unique to Sakaki Yuya!"

More cheers came, and Yuya said, "On my last turn, Odd-Eyes was sent to my Extra Deck. However, I will now raise the curtain and return him to us in his full glory, along with a few new friends. But before we can welcome them, we have to set the stage with our supporting actors!"

He grabbed both the card he had searched with Odd-Eyes' effect and the card he had just drawn.

"I, using the Scale 1 Magician of Astromancy and the Scale 5 Wisdom-Eye Magician, set the Pendulum Scale!"

Yuya placed the cards on his Duel Disk, calling forth two pillars of light. The right pillar contained the white-robed Magician of Astromancy. (Scale: 1)

The left pillar housed a gray-haired man, wearing a mask over his eyes and a dark purple cloak with gold trimmed armor and purple stones. He held a black staff with a gold chain wrapped around it, ending with a lantern. (Scale: 5)

A couple voices came from the spectating room at once. Futoshi's voice broke through the rivulet of whispers: "How's he gonna summon Odd-Eyes with those Scales?"

Yuya smiled. "I'm glad you asked," he replied, as if he had been anticipating the question. Pointing to his left, he declared, "Wisdom-Eye Magician's Pendulum Effect activates!"

Wisdom-Eye Magician bowed, disappearing in the blink of an eye. The shining pillar that it had occupied still remained.

"By destroying this card while I control a Magician monster in my other Pendulum Zone," Yuya continued, placing Wisdom-Eye in his Extra Deck, "I can re-set the Pendulum Scale using another Magician monster in my deck! Please appear before us, Magician of Chronomancy!"

As if on cue, Magician of Chronomancy appeared in Wisdom-Eye Magician's stead. (Scale: 8)

"Like this, I'm now able to summon multiple monsters from Level Two to Level Seven from my hand and Extra Deck simultaneously!"

A large, purple rift in the virtual skyline opened up.

"Swing, Pendulum of Souls! Draw an arc of light across the ether! Pendulum Summon!"

The rift pulsated before spitting out four comets of light. Yuya's voice echoed as they all came crashing down to the ground:

"Revive from my Extra Deck, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, Wisdom-Eye Magician! And from my hand, Entermate Hammer Mammoth and our newest ally, Entermate Kaleido Scorpion!"

On Skullcrobat Joker's left was Odd-Eyes (2500 ATK) and Wisdom-Eye Magician (1500 ATK).

On Joker's right emerged Hammer Mammoth (2600 ATK), and to the right of that was a new monster. It was a large scorpion, wearing an ill-fitting orange vest and a black top hat. Two shields were positioned where the monster's pincers should have been, and its blue tail snaked upward like a hook, revealing a small black gape at the end. (2300 DEF)

Reiji blankly stared at Yuya's full field of monsters, his purple eyes trailing from one to the next.

His stoicism didn't deter Yuya. "Continuing, I activate Kaleido Scorpion's monster effect. Kaleido Search!"

The dot on Kaleido Scorpion's tail shone as the monster sent three rainbow beams at Reiji's three monsters. The dazzling colors caused three separate silhouettes to appear behind the monsters – red, green, and orange. Then a fourth beam hit Odd-Eyes, creating a blue silhouette.

"What's this?" Reiji said.

"It's Kaleido Scorpion's effect," Yuya replied. "First, I target one monster on my field."

He motioned to the Odd-Eyes silhouette.

"Then, for this turn, that monster can then attack every Special Summoned monster my opponent controls, once each. Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz still count as Special Summoning, right? That means that Odd-Eyes can attack each one of your monsters!"

Reiji looked like he was about to speak, but he refrained.

"I see," said Gongenzaka. "Yuya's plan is to attack each of those monsters with Odd-Eyes. Once they're gone, he can clinch the duel with a series of successive direct attacks."

"Don't forget," said Tatsuya, "because he's got Astromancy and Chronomancy out, that Reiji guy can't activate Spell or Trap Cards when big bro Yuya's Pendulum Monsters attack!"

Futoshi hugged himself, shaking with excitement. "This duel is giving me shivers!"

"All right, this is my chance," Yuya said to himself, motioning to Alexander. "Bat–"

"Continuous Trap, activate! Contract with the Valkyrie!"

"What?"

One of Reiji's facedowns lifted, revealing a picture of a feather with inscriptions written on it.

"This card," Reiji said, "during each of my Standby Phases, will inflict 1000 damage to me." He lifted his eyes to meet Yuya's, adding, "In exchange, it allows me, once per turn, by discarding a DD or Contract card from my hand, to destroy one card on the field."

He discarded the only card in his hand.

"As such, I discard DD Night Howling to destroy Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon."

Without warning, a cascade of feathers with quills as sharp as knives shot forward. Odd-Eyes managed to swat a few away before the storm became too much to endure, and it exploded.

"Tch, Odd-Eyes was…" Yuya grimaced, returning his ace monster to his Extra Deck.

Abruptly, Reiji asked, "Is this the extent of your Pendulum Summon?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yuya tried hard not to take offense to the question. Something about the way Reiji had said it didn't sit right with him.

But Reiji didn't reply, and that made Yuya's opinion of the question all the more polarized. Nevertheless, he proceeded.

"I still have my other monsters. Hammer Mammoth, attack DDD Alexander!"

Hammer Mammoth charged forward, raising and dropping its massive leg, crushing Alexander.

"Skullcrobat Joker, attack Temujin! Wisdom-Eye Magician, attack Caesar!"

Like dominos, Reiji's monsters fell one after the other. Skullcrobat Joker snapped his fingers and Temujin's body crumpled, disappearing in a smoky haze. Then, Wisdom-Eye Magician threw its cane at Caesar, piercing the warrior through the chest. There was a flash of blue light before the monster burst.

"When DDD Caesar the Surging Waves King is sent from the field to the Graveyard," said Reiji, as a card slid from his deck, "I can add one Contract card from my deck to my hand."

Yuya took a moment to collect his thoughts. _He has those three Contract cards out. On the next turn, he'll take 3000 points of damage. Moreover, he only has that one Contract card in his hand, so I should be able to win this on my next turn._

"All right, I end my…"

His sentence remained unfinished as Temujin, Caesar, and Alexander rematerialized before Reiji. (2000, 2400, and 2500 ATK, respectively)

Yuya blinked twice, dumbfounded, and offered just one word: "What?"

A similar hush fell over the You Show group. No one dared to speak, to acknowledge that the impossible had somehow just happened.

Finding a few more words in his repertoire, Yuya stammered, "How did they come back?"

"When Caesar the Surging Waves King was attacked, I activated its additional monster effect," replied Reiji. "Caesar, by detaching one Overlay Unit, can Special Summon as many monsters that were destroyed this turn as possible at the end of the Battle Phase."

Reiji adjusted his glasses again, remarking, "Such a potent ability, however, is not without risk."

"Risk?" Yuya parroted.

"During the next Standby Phase, for each monster revived through Caesar the Surging Waves King's effect, I will take 1000 points of damage."

"With those three Contract cards," Dennis said, "and those three monsters, he's going to take…"

"6000 points of damage," Yuya finished. "Just what is going on in this duel?"

Hesitantly, he looked down at the last card in his hand. He didn't exactly feel good about winning on a technicality, but now it was inevitable – Reiji had sealed his own fate. Shaking his head, he finished what he had been saying earlier. "I end my turn."

"My turn, draw!"

Reiji drew, quickly taking note of the Trap Card and saying, "During my Draw Phase, I activate the effect of my Contract with the Valkyrie, discarding a second Contract with the Valkyrie to destroy the Magician of Astromancy in your Pendulum Zone."

Reiji took the card and discarded it, sending forth another maelstrom of feathers. Yuya could only watch as the blond magician was destroyed and sent to his Extra Deck.

Then came the Standby Phase, where two things happened:

Reiji's Contract cards turned over, their images facing Yuya, and illuminated. A jet black aura surrounded the borders of each card.

At the same time, DDD Caesar dropped its weapon, and its empty hands were engulfed in dark flames. It turned around and advanced toward Reiji.

Caesar struck first. Its massive hands gripped gray-haired boy by the shoulders, and he felt a pain seize his heart. He clutched at his chest, almost falling to one knee, but noting this as a sign of self-weakness, something he was adamant about eschewing in the presence of others, Reiji quickly regained his posture.

 **(Yuya: 4000 LP/Reiji: 1000 LP)**

Next came the Contract cards. Their dark energy merged, creating an orb of black energy. Then it fizzled into nothingness. Not only that, but the Contract cards suddenly burst into tiny flecks of light, leaving no trace of their former existence.

Once again Yuya was flustered. "What? You were supposed to take 3000 more damage from your Contract cards."

Yuya's blood became cold as Reiji actually offered a chuckle in response to his statement. "Contract cards? Those measly things?"

It was then that Yuya noticed Reiji's facedown had been activated. Before he had a chance to say anything, Reiji intercepted him.

"Just now, before taking the damage from my Contract cards," he said, "I used a Trap Card called Lease Laundering. Once activated, it destroys all Contract cards under my control."

With a hand now on top of his deck, Reiji added, "Afterwards, for each Contract card destroyed by this effect, I draw one card and gain 1000 additional Life Points. Three Contract cards were destroyed just now, therefore I draw three new cards…"

Reiji made three draws, his eyes widening momentarily when he saw one of the cards.

"And regain 3000 Life Points!" he said, and a warm angelic glow covered his body.

 **(Yuya: 4000 LP/Reiji: 4000 LP)**

"Like this, I'm not obligated to pay the costs for my Contract cards, because they no longer exist on my field." He offered a haughty smirk. "The contract has been broken."

"Tch, for him to use such an underhanded play to avoid taking the damage," Gongenzaka growled. "It's unforgiveable!"

Dennis gave a weak chuckle in Gongenzaka's direction. "I guess it was a little naïve of us to think that someone of his caliber would so easily accept defeat though, huh?" He turned his attention back to the duel. "Still, that just makes things more difficult for Yuya."

"Big bro Yuya," the three kids said in unison.

Yuzu looked at Yuya, pressing one hand to the cold window. As the glass chilled her fingertips, an expression of unsettlement composed itself on her face.

"Once more, I activate Contract with the Swamp King," said Reiji, playing the Spell Card he'd received from Caesar's effect. "And I'll use its effect to fuse DDD Caesar the Surging Waves King on my field with the DD Lamia in my hand."

Another vortex opened and DDD Caesar leapt into it. Beside him was a smaller monster, one with the upper body of a woman, the lower body of a serpent, and no discernable face. Her hair and hands were in the form of rose petals.

"Omnipotent ruler with the force of a surging wave, malevolent vamp hiding in the twilight. In a whirlpool of light from the realm of the dead, become one and give birth to a new king!"

The ground shook as a new monster emerged, standing taller both than Temujin and Alexander. It was a massive wolf with sharp claws, dressed in gold-plated armor adorned with spikes and rings. The cape around its neck was tattered, and blue fur shot out from the armor in erratic places. The beast snarled, threw back its head and uttered a blood-curdling howl. (3000 ATK)

"Fusion Summon! Come forth! DDD Cruel Dragon King Beowulf!"

"3000 ATK," Yuya managed to say. His mouth had suddenly become dry.

"The respective effects of DDD Caesar and DDD Alexander now activate," Reiji continued. "First, I'm able to add a Contract from my deck to my hand."

Reiji took a second Contract with the Hellgate and added it to his hand.

"Then, I can resurrect a low-Level DD monster from my Graveyard. Revive, DD Berfomet!"

DD Berfomet reappeared beside Beowulf. (1400 ATK)

"This triggers DDD Temujin's effect, so I'll Special Summon DD Lamia from my Graveyard."

The half-woman, half-snake emerged in Reiji's last available Monster Zone. (100 ATK)

Reiji showed no signs of slowing down. "DD Berfomet's monster effect activates," he said. "Once per turn, I can change the Level of another DD monster on the field from anywhere between 1 and 8. As such, I'll change DDD Temujin from a Level 6 to a Level 5 monster."

A virtual box with six stars appeared beneath Temujin. One of the stars swiftly vanished.

"Continuing, I re-activate the Contract with the Hellgate Continuous Spell, and use its effect to add DD Pandora from my deck to my hand."

Reiji did just that, flipping DD Pandora's card around. "I release DD Berfomet to Advance Summon the Level 5 DD Pandora!"

DD Berfomet faded as a female monster took its place. She had sickly blue skin and a steel mask that covered her entire face. Her lower body was shaped like an hourglass, adorned with gold trimming, two emerald crystals, and a metal belt, ending with a key hole. Poisonous dark vapors rose from the monster's body. (1700 ATK)

Yuya knew what was coming next but couldn't open his mouth to speak. He was paralyzed by a visceral emotion that was unlike any he had experienced in a duel – fear.

"There's still more!" Reiji said, and this time his voice had more zeal. "I overlay the Level 5 DD Pandora and the now-Level 5 DDD Temujin the Raging Inferno King!"

Two rays of light, purple and orange, became of the monsters, and they merged in a portal on the ground. Dark clouds swarmed the field, and a new monster emerged.

"Hero of legends, pierce through all things with your profound justice!"

The clouds dispersed, revealing the monster behind them. It was male, roughly Alexander's height, with three arrows coming out of its chest. Its hair was green, the same color as the belted cloak around its waist, and it wore a red shirt fashioned in the shape of a half-bitten apple. Its right arm was gray and mechanical, fitted with built-in gold crossbow on its wrist. (2300 ATK)

"Xyz Summon! Come forth! Rank 5, DDD Tell the Marksman King!"

"In an instant, he upgraded his Fusion and Xyz Monsters," Shuzo muttered. He leaned in closer, interlacing his fingers and resting his chin on them. "I guess they weren't just rumors after all..."

"There is still one more thing," said Reiji, eyeing DDD Alexander. "DD Lamia is a Level 1 Tuner monster. At this moment, I tune the Level 7 DDD Alexander the Gale King with it!"

DD Lamia became a single green star, and then a single green ring of light that swirled around Alexander, whose body turned gold before degenerating into seven orbs of green energy.

"O forsaken wielder of the cursed blade, gain the blessing of the gods and enter the fray!"

Appearing now was a white-haired warrior. His entire body was covered in armor, and a flowing red scarf enveloped his neck. He took a step forward, and the clank of metal against metal resounded. Reaching behind its back, the monster retrieved a sword that was larger than it with its left hand and struck a threatening pose. (2800 ATK)

"Synchro Summon! Come forth! Level 8, DDD Cursed King Siegfried!"

Yuya looked down at his hands, wondering when they'd started shaking. It wasn't just his hands, though; his whole body seemed to be trembling. But it wasn't just with fear anymore. Now there was a competing undercurrent of excitement.

It was weird, even to him. Here he was, trapped with his back against the wall in the toughest duel of his life, but he was smiling. He was happy.

"Are you watching me, Dad?" he said under his breath. "I'm going to give this duel my all and win." He didn't know whether or not he believed his own words, but he felt staunchly committed to the message underlying them. He couldn't give up hope now – he wouldn't.

"Are you prepared?" Reiji asked, more as a formality than a pleasantry.

"Yeah," said Yuya. "Come at me!"

"Hmph." Reiji readjusted his glasses. "I activate DDD Tell the Marksman King's effect!"

One of the two Overlay Units surrounding Tell was absorbed into his crossbow, and he took aim.

"Once per turn, if I have taken damage from a card effect this turn, I can detach one Overlay Unit from this monster to lower an opposing monster's ATK by 1000 and deal 1000 damage to my opponent. My target, of course, is Entermate Hammer Mammoth!"

Yuya gritted his teeth as his tongue clicked the roof of his mouth.

"Go, Tell! Piercing Arrow!"

Tell nodded, shooting an arrow-shaped lightning bolt at Hammer Mammoth.

Quickly, Yuya took off in a race, running down the street. He noticed something shiny coming from the roof of a nearby coffee shop: an Action Card.

With all his might Yuya jumped as high as he could, barely grabbing hold of a thin, green hula-hoop that was suspended in midair. He thrust his body forward and let go of the hoop, flying toward the building. His fingers scraped the rooftop as his body collided with the building, but he managed to hold on to the ledge and pull himself onto the building, snatching the Action Card.

"I activate an Action Magic, Guard Cover, and select Entermate Kaleido Scorpion as the target!"

The arrow that was heading for Hammer Mammoth abruptly curved to the right, hitting the defensive Kaleido Scorpion. (100 – 0 ATK)

"Guard Cover," shouted Yuya from above, "when my opponent activates an effect that targets a monster I control, allows me to choose the target of that effect. Like this, Hammer Mammoth was able to keep its attacking power."

"However," Reiji said, "you still receive the damage."

Tell shot a second arrow at Yuya, whose eyes widened as the bolt pierced his arm, sending a ripple of pain through his body. He grunted, quickly dislodging the arrow and discarding it. Then he jumped from the roof to the green hula-hoop, dropping to the ground shortly afterward.

 **(Yuya: 3000 LP/Reiji: 4000 LP)**

"Battle!" Reiji shouted, motioning to Tell's original target. "I attack Entermate Hammer Mammoth with DDD Cursed King Siegfried! Purgatorial Hellblade!"

When Siegfried raised its falchion sword, black flames and red lightning danced around it. Its eyes flashed before it ran over the mammoth, clanking armor vying with the sound of its war cry.

From his peripheral vision, Yuya saw an Action Card lying in front of the movie theatre, the same place it had been during his duel against Dennis. He was fortunately close enough to run and grab it before Siegfried had even come close to his monster.

"Action Magic, Illusion Dance! This changes all Attack Position monsters to Defense Position until the End Phase."

Reiji's response came as soon as Yuya finished his sentence. "The same trick won't work twice."

"What?"

"I activate DDD Cursed King Siegfried's monster effect!"

Siegfried slashed at the air, sending red lightning at the Action Card and bursting it into shards.

"Once each turn, Siegfried can negate the effect of a face-up Spell or Trap on the field, until the following Standby Phase, including Action Cards."

Yuya gasped when he realized it. Reiji deliberately hadn't used Siegfried's effect on Guard Cover – he'd been waiting for a moment like this from the start.

Reiji's voice cut through Yuya's epiphany. "Continue, DDD Siegfried!"

Likewise, Siegfried, now over on Yuya's side of the field, cut Hammer Mammoth clean in two.

 **(Yuya: 2800 LP/Reiji: 4000 LP)**

"Moving on, I attack Wisdom-Eye Magician with DDD Tell the Marksman King! Forbidden Break Shot!"

Tell pulled back its crossbow and launched another arrow at Wisdom-Eye. The sage held his staff in front of him for protection, but Tell's arrow outmatched it, easily breaking the weapon and piercing through the monster's chest.

The backlash from the attack caused Yuya's footing to loosen. He fell on his back, groaning.

 **(Yuya: 2000 LP/Reiji: 4000 LP)**

"One more attack remains," declared Reiji. "I attack Entermate Skullcrobat Joker DDD Cruel Dragon King Beowulf! Perdition Slash!"

Beowulf raced ahead, and when it reached Skullcrobat Joker, it gave two diagonal slashes in the form of an "X" across the monster's chest, dividing the monster into two parts before it burst.

 **(Yuya: 800 LP/Reiji: 4000 LP)**

Reiji waited until Yuya had fully recovered from the last attack before taking one of the two cards in his hand and saying, "I set this card facedown and end my turn."

The atmosphere in the spectator's room grew tense and no one bothered to speak, though in that moment their minds all seemed to be synchronized, orbiting around one thought: This was an opponent that they had all underestimated.

Yuya was having similar thoughts, which grew all the more demoralizing as he looked from Entermate Kaleido Scorpion to the Magician of Chronomancy in his Pendulum Zone, the last vestiges of his field. Then he looked at Entermate Discover Hippo, the only card in his hand.

He looked at his deck, wondering if there was something, anything at all, that he could draw to help. Beads of sweat that he hadn't noticed now trickled down his face. It was all or nothing.

"This draw will decide it all. My turn. Draw!" he said, drawing. And to his surprise, it seemed that his deck hadn't yet given up hope. He would just need a little luck.

"I activate Entermate Cast Change," he continued. "By shuffling the Entermate Discover Hippo in my hand into my deck, I can draw two new cards."

"In response, I activate DDD Cursed King Siegfried's monster effect to negate your Spell Card," Reiji retorted.

Yuya had to be quick. Bolting ahead, he disappeared into the movie theater to his left. As he did so, Siegfried slashed the air, sending a red wave at Yuya's Spell. It collided and a plume of smoke spawned.

"Did it hit?" Ayu asked.

The smoke cleared, and the You Show spectators released their bated breath, noticing a pulsing green aura around Entermate Cast Change. As the last of the smoke dissipated, Yuya's outline became more visible, as did the Action Card that was floating beside him.

"Action Magic, Runaway Effect," said Yuya, motioning to Siegfried. "This card negates the effect of an opposing monster. Moreover, my opponent is then dealt 500 damage."

Reiji didn't even flinch as a red aura covered him, sapping his energy.

 **(Yuya: 800 LP/Reiji: 3500 LP)**

"Like this, the effect of Entermate Cast Change will go through."

Yuya placed Discover Hippo on top of his deck, hit the auto-shuffle, and drew two new cards.

 _It's here!_

Taking the first-drawn card, Yuya said, "I, using the Scale 3 Entermate Odd-Eyes Light Phoenix and the already-set Scale 8 Magician of Chronomancy, set the Pendulum Scale!"

A pillar of light appeared on Yuya's left, and with it came a radiant phoenix. Its wings were fiery orange, its feathers colored the purest gold, its tail a ruddy pink. It wore a matching blue top hat and vest. (Scale: 3)

"With this, I can Special Summon monsters from Level Four to Level Seven from my hand and Extra Deck simultaneously!"

The sky was rent once more as a stream of monsters descended.

"From my Extra Deck: Entermate Skullcrobat Joker, Magician of Astromancy, and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! And from my hand: Entermate Drumming Kong!"

To the left of Kaleido Scorpion came the laughing harlequin, the white robed sorcerer, and Yuya's ace monster. (1800, 1200, and 2500 ATK, respectively)

The monster closest to Kaleido Scorpion was a brawny gorilla with cymbals attached to its shoulders, round mallets for hands, and two bass drums in lieu of pectoral muscles, sporting a top hat, bow tie and vest. It beat its chest, flashing a half-smile with the four teeth in its mouth. (1600 ATK)

"Big bro Yuya got Odd-Eyes back out!" Futoshi cheered.

"But it's still only strong enough to take down that Xyz Monster," said Tatsuya.

Yuya's smile was unwavering. "Once again, I activate Entermate Kaleido Scorpion's monster effect, choosing Odd-Eyes as my target. Kaleido Search!"

Another stream of light poured from Kaleido Scorpion's tail, causing a parade of colors to envelop Odd-Eyes and Reiji's three DDD monsters.

"Now my Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon is able to attack all three of your monsters this turn."

Pointing to the Fusion Monster, Yuya declared, "Let's start with that one. Odd-Eyes, attack DDD Beowulf with Spiral Strike Burst!"

To the surprise of the spectators, and even Reiji, Yuya leapt onto Odd-Eyes. The dragon then charged forward, bounding into the air. Beowulf readied a counterattack.

Tatsuya gasped. "He's attacking a monster with 3000 ATK without using an Action Card first?"

But Yuya had been waiting for this moment. "Entermate Drumming Kong's monster effect!"

Drumming Kong beat its chest again, but this time the motion had enough intensity to send visible sound waves at Odd-Eyes. The dragon roared responsively, its body glowing.

"Once per turn, when one of my monsters battles, Drumming Kong can increase that monster's attacking power by 600 until the end of the Battle Phase!"

The glow on Odd-Eyes body faded but not before taking effect. (2500 – 3100 ATK)

Red-hot flames shot from Odd-Eyes' mouth, thoroughly engulfing the underprepared Beowulf.

"Furthermore, when Odd-Eyes battles an opposing monster, the damage my opponent takes is doubled! Reaction Force!"

The flames intensified, burning Beowulf to ashes as Odd-Eyes landed safely on the ground. A few errant embers spilled onto Reiji's shirt, which he patted away.

 **(Yuya: 800 LP/Reiji: 3300 LP)**

"Through Entermate Kaleido Scorpion's effect," said Yuya, "Odd-Eyes can attack again! This time the target is DDD Tell the Marksman King! Spiral Strike Burst!"

Like before, Odd-Eyes jumped into the air, becoming one with the dazzling night sky of the Action Field. Another burst of flames came cascading toward DDD Tell, who lamely launched an arrow to defend himself. The monster and the arrow were both consumed within seconds.

Yuya, grinning from ear to ear, turned to address the spectators. "And, of course, when Odd-Eyes attacks, what happens to the damage?" he asked.

"It's doubled!" the three younger You Show kids cried.

 **(Yuya: 800 LP/Reiji: 1700 LP)**

Reiji, placing his Xyz Monster into the Graveyard, finally spoke. "When DDD Tell the Marksman King is destroyed, I can send a DD or Contract card from my deck to the Graveyard."

Reiji fanned through his deck, found the card he wanted, and deposited it into his Graveyard.

"I still have one more attack," said Yuya. "Odd-Eyes, attack DDD Cursed King Siegfried! Spiral Strike Burst!"

Siegfried fell to one knee upon taking Odd-Eyes' attack, dropping its sword and perishing.

"And because of Odd-Eyes' Reaction Force, the damage is…"

"Doubled!" shouted all of the You Show supporters, with the exception of Yuzu.

 **(Yuya: 800 LP/Reiji: 1100 LP)**

Brushing the debris from his shirt, Reiji looked up, connecting his eyes with Yuya's. The fire that had graced those purple eyes only a turn before had been extinguished, but there was something new hiding behind them, something enigmatic and impenetrable.

"When DDD Cursed King Siegfried is destroyed," said, Reiji. "I gain 1000 Life Points for each Contract card that I control. On my field are Contract with the Hellgate and Contract with the Swamp King. Therefore, I regain 2000 Life Points now!" Sparkles of green light fell on him.

 **(Yuya: 800 LP/Reiji: 3100 LP)**

Yuya wasn't fazed. In fact, he kept smiling. Because his Magician of Chronomancy blocked any chances of Reiji using a Trap Card, and because Reiji had neither the monsters nor the mobility to get an Action Card reliably, Yuya took solace in the fact that his victory was all but assured.

"Entermate Skullcrobat Joker, Magician of Astromancy, attack Akaba Reiji directly!"

The monsters obeyed, both striking Reiji with bright beams of magical energy.

 **(Yuya: 800 LP/Reiji: 100 LP)**

"Here's the grand finale!" Yuya declared. "I attack directly with Entermate Drumming Kong!"

Premature praise erupted from the spectators' room like lava from a volcano. It all seemed to converge on the same two expressions: "He did it!" and "Yuya won!"

Drumming Kong raced ahead on all fours, coming straight for Reiji, who simply pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Throwing an arm to the side, he shouted, "DDD Wisdom King Chaos Apocalypse's monster effect activates!"

"What?"

A card popped out from Reiji's Graveyard. He took and placed on his Duel Disk, causing dark clouds to swirl onto the battlegrounds. Rising from them was a menacing, mechanical figure. It was streamlined with black spiked armor running along its shoulders and arms. Two gold turbines rested on its back. The monster had horns on its head, under which sat piercing red eyes. Its lower body was in the shape of a pristine crystal that glowed violet. (2000 DEF)

Yuya's eyes begged an answer, so Reiji complied. "DDD Wisdom King Chaos Apocalypse was the monster that I sent to the Graveyard with DDD Tell the Marksman King's effect."

Suddenly, Reiji's two Contract Spells cracked, breaking into pieces before disappearing.

"Once per turn, during my opponent's turn, by destroying two face-up Spell or Trap Cards that I control, DDD Wisdom King Chaos Apocalypse can be summoned from my hand or Graveyard."

"So he was not only able to stop the attack, but avoid taking the damage from his Contracts on the following turn, too?" Shuzo murmured. "As expected of a dueling prodigy."

"Heh," Yuya chuckled meekly. "You were thinking two steps ahead this whole time, huh?"

Reiji didn't reply.

"You really are a strong duelist," Yuya continued. He rubbed under his nose with his index finger. "Just when I thought I had you cornered, you find a way to surpass my imagination. Incredible. Though I guess you're not a dueling genius for nothing, huh?"

Yuya chuckled again. "But I'm not done yet. Even though Drumming Kong can't attack now, you still Special Summoned a monster, which means that through Kaleido Scorpion's effect, Odd-Eyes can attack one more time. Do it, Odd-Eyes! Spiral Strike Burst!"

Odd-Eyes roared, its mouth filled with fire, and it directed the stream at Chaos Apocalypse's body head-on. The monster exploded, sending waves of smoke every which way.

Reiji's voice was intertwined with the fading smolders. "I will extend your compliment to you as well," he said. "I commend you on your dueling. Like your father, you have proven yourself to be a strong duelist, one worthy of pioneering the very Pendulum Summon you created. Moreover, you've allowed me to see for myself the true nature of Pendulum Summoning. It is indeed a formidable power."

The residual wisps of smoke disappeared, and behind them stood Reiji, solemn and austere. Yuya could just barely see the fire in Reiji's eyes begin to reignite.

"So now," Reiji said, with a tone of finality, "I'll have you witness that very power for yourself."

"Huh?" Yuya leaned in closer as though trying to hear a whispered secret.

Reiji retrieved Chaos Apocalypse from his Duel Disk, turning it around for Yuya and the others to see. The room at once grew still, like a frozen lake. Even from across the field, they all noticed it: The bottom borders of the card had green on them.

As a slot on his Duel Disk opened, Reiji spoke slowly, gauging Yuya's every reaction. "When they are destroyed, Pendulum Monsters go not to the Graveyard, but to the Extra Deck."

"No way…" The phrase slipped from Yuya's mouth not as a declaration, as he had intended, but as a whisper. His face was a messy cornucopia of confusion and disillusionment. "It can't be…"

Reiji slid the Pendulum Card in the open Extra Deck slot, then clicked another button on his Duel Disk. His facedown card revealed itself.

"Trap Card, open! DDD Resource Management!"

Three cards shot from Reiji's Graveyard – DDD Beowulf, DDD Siegfried, and DDD Tell.

"This card, by returning these three DDD monsters to my Extra Deck, allows me to add two DD monsters from my deck to my hand."

Reiji replaced the three cards in his Extra Deck, took his Main Deck, and pulled two cards from the bunch. When he revealed them, Yuya noticed that they, too, had orange-green borders.

"From my deck, I add the Pendulum Monsters DD Magical Astronomer Galilei and DD Magical Astronomer Kepler to my hand."

Reiji's put his Pendulum Monsters with the other card in his hand. With his eyes still trained on Yuya, he asked, "Are you surprised?"

The You Show group exchanged a look of disbelief. Yuzu was the first to speak. "Yuya…"

Shuzo stared at the monitor, mouth agape. _Impossible…Can this kid really control four summoning methods?_

Yuya said the words on his friends' minds. "How?" he stammered. "Why do you have Pendulum Cards too? They're something that I created. Pendulum Summoning is something that was only given to me! So why do you have them?"

Reiji looked down at the three cards in his hand, all Pendulum Monsters. "I wonder about that."

Clenching his fists, Yuya said, "That can't be true. This can't be real. The only person who can Pendulum Summon is…"

But he stopped himself, remembering his duel against Sawatari firsthand. He knew his statement would no longer be true – he was no longer the only one who had experienced Pendulum Summoning. If Sawatari had successfully done it, too, did that mean that anyone could? Was he not as special as he'd come to believe?

It was as though someone had pulled the curtain away and showed Yuya the true world hiding behind it, stark and desolate – and real. Oh-so real. He shook his head. His body trembled in a confluence of rage and bewilderment. No, that just couldn't be the case. He had been the first person to receive Pendulum Cards, he was their pioneer – Reiji had even said so himself. But then, how could someone else have them now? It didn't make any sense. Nothing made sense to his racing mind.

"Answer me, Akaba Reiji!" Yuya shouted. His feral scream startled even himself. His vision began to blur at the sides. His heartrate accelerated. "Where did you get Pendulum Cards from?"

Futoshi, Ayu, and Tatsuya all recoiled, taken aback by Yuya's unexpected hostility. Even Dennis and Gongenzaka looked unnerved. It was only Yuzu who moved closer to the window.

"He's not smiling," she said. "Just like back then with Sawatari."

Gongenzaka turned to Yuzu. "Eh?"

"I said answer…" Yuya stopped, dropping to one knee and wincing. It felt as though a fire had kindled inside him. He closed one eye, breathing heavily as he clutched his chest. _Why is this happening now?_

"Yuya!" Gongenzaka and Yuzu called out. Their voices seemed unusually far away.

Yuya tried to stand, only to have his pain flare up. He quickly fell back to his knees. An imagined scream echoed through his mind, causing him to clasp his hands over his ears.

Readjusting his glasses, Reiji said, "If you want to know how I acquired Pendulum Cards, you must first overcome me."

"Damn," Yuya snarled. He wanted to stand, to face Reiji head-on, to continue the duel like normal. But every time he tried, he fought against the sea of pain that washed over his body.

Reiji watched Yuya intently, the way a scientist watches their test subject. It took everything in his power to contain his smile. What had happened to Yuya in his duel against Sawatari hadn't been an isolated incident after all – this was the moment Reiji had been waiting for.

"Sakaki Yuya," he said, and to Yuya's ears, his words sounded distant, too. "For opening the door to Pendulum Summoning, you have my gratitude. But I won't let that door close."

The heat in Yuya's chest blazed again. He cried out, writhing in pain.

Reiji watched with morbid fascination for a while. "Now then, end your turn," he finally prompted. "Next is my turn to show you my true strength."

Yuya looked up, vision blurring. He saw Reiji towering over him, but all he could think about were the Pendulum Monsters Reiji had lying in wait.

"Akaba…Reiji…" Yuya croaked.

Reiji spoke again, that much Yuya saw, but now the words were garbled and incoherent. The world around him seemed to be darkening at once, as though all the light was being drained from it. Time seemed to come to a grinding halt. Yuya thought he heard Yuzu's voice before everything went completely black.

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OCG/Anime/Custom Cards Shown In This Chapter –

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 **Smile World (Spell)**

Normal Spell

Image: A cluster of gold suns, blue flowers, green stars, and purple circles with smiley faces.

Effect: All face-up monsters on the field gain 100 ATK for each monster currently on the field, until the end of the turn.

Note: This card can be found in the Advanced Tournament Pack 2015 Vol. 4 set. It is currently only available in Japan.

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 **Entermate Odd-Eyes Light Phoenix (Pendulum Monster)**

Winged Beast/Pendulum/Level 5/Scale 3-3/Effect/LIGHT

2000 ATK/1000 DEF

Pendulum Effect: If an opponent's monster declares a direct attack while you have a card in your other Pendulum Zone: You can destroy the card you have in your other Pendulum Zone, and if you do, Special Summon this card.

Monster Effect: During either player's turn: You can Tribute this card, then target 1 "Entermate" monster you control; it gains 1000 ATK until the end of this turn.

Note: This card can be found in the Shining Victories booster pack. It is currently only available in Japan.

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 **DD Lilith (Monster)**

Fiend/Level 4/Effect/DARK

100 ATK/2100 DEF

Effect: If this card is Normal Summoned or Special Summoned: You can activate 1 of these effects. You can only use this effect of "DD Lilith" once per turn.

Target 1 "DD" monster in your Graveyard; add that target to your hand.

Add 1 face-up "DD" Pendulum Monster from your Extra Deck to your hand.

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 **DD Night Howling (Monster)**

Fiend/Level 3/Effect/DARK

300 ATK/600 DEF

Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned: You can target 1 "DD" monster in your Graveyard; you cannot Special Summon monsters for the rest of the turn, except Fiend-Type monsters, also Special Summon that target, but its ATK and DEF become 0. If that monster is destroyed, take 1000 damage.

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 **DDD Temujin the Raging Inferno King (Fusion Monster)**

Fiend/Fusion/Level 6/Effect/FIRE

2000 ATK/1500 DEF

Effect: 2 "DD" Monsters

If a "DD" monster(s) is Special Summoned to your side of the field, except this card (except during the Damage Step): You can target 1 "DD" monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that target. You can only use this effect of "DDD Temujin the Raging Inferno King" once per turn. If this card is destroyed by battle, or if this card in its owner's possession is destroyed by an opponent's card effect: You can target 1 "Contract" card in your Graveyard; add it to your hand.

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 **DDD Alexander the Gale King (Synchro Monster)**

Fiend/Synchro/Level 7/Effect/WIND

2500 ATK/2000 DEF

Effect: 1 "DD" Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters

If a "DD" monster(s) is Normal or Special Summoned to your side of the field, except this card (except during the Damage Step): You can target 1 Level 4 or lower "DD" monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon it. You can only use this effect of "DDD Alexander the Gale King" once per turn.

Note: The above four cards can be found in the Booster SP: Raging Masters set. They are currently only available in Japan.

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 **DDD Wisdom King Chaos Apocalypse (Pendulum Monster)**

Fiend/Pendulum/Level 7/Scale 4-4/Effect/DARK

2700 ATK/2000 DEF

Pendulum Effect: You can banish 2 "DD" monsters from your Graveyard; Special Summon this card from your Pendulum Zone.

Monster Effect: During your opponent's turn, if this card is in your hand or Graveyard: You can target 2 face-up Spell/Trap Cards you control; you cannot Special Summon monsters for the rest of this turn, except Fiend-Type monsters, also destroy those cards, and if you do, Special Summon this card (this is a Quick Effect). You can only use this effect of "DDD Wisdom King Chaos Apocalypse" once per turn.

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 **DDD Cruel Dragon King Beowulf (Fusion Monster)**

Fiend/Fusion/Level 8/Effect/DARK

3000 ATK/2500 DEF

Effect: 1 "DDD" monster + 1 "DD" monster

If a "DD" monster you control attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent. Once per turn, during your Standby Phase: You can destroy all cards in each player's Spell & Trap Zones.

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 **DDD Cursed King Siegfried (Synchro Monster)**

Fiend/Synchro/Level 8/Effect/DARK

2800 ATK/2200 DEF

Effect: 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner "DD" monsters

During either player's turn: You can target 1 face-up Spell/Trap Card on the field; negate its effects until the next Standby Phase. You can only using this effect of "DDD Cursed King Siegfried" once per turn. When this card is destroyed by battle or card effect and sent to the Graveyard: Gain 1000 LP for each "Contract" card you control.

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 **DD Lamia (Monster)**

Fiend/Level 1/Tuner/Effect/DARK

100 ATK/1900 DEF

Effect: If this card is in your hand or Graveyard: You can send 1 "DD" or "Contract" card from your hand or face-up from your side of the field to the Graveyard, except "DD Lamia"; Special Summon this card, but banish it when it leaves the field. You can only use this effect of "DD Lamia" once per turn.

Note: The above four cards can be found in the Structure Deck: Pendulum Domination. They are currently only available in Japan.

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 **Guard Cover (Spell)**

Normal Spell/Action Card

Image: A pink arrow turning and hitting a demon instead of an angel.

Effect: Apply this effect for the rest of this turn. Each time your opponent activates a card or effect that targets exactly 1 monster you control (and no other cards): You can target another monster you control that would be an appropriate target; that card/effect now targets the new target.

Note: This card was first used by Yuya Sakaki in Episode 56 of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V." Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

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 **Runaway Effect (Spell)**

Normal Spell/Action Card

Image: A monster effect curving to the right and hitting a roadblock instead of going straight.

Effect: Negate the effect of 1 monster your opponent controls, and if you do, inflict 500 damage to your opponent.

Note: This card was first used by Jack Atlas in Episode 93 of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V." Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

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Author's Note: Reiji's plan has been realized. Driving Yuya to his mental and physical limits, the real Pendulum showdown begins. As the two continue their heated clash, something unexpected happens on the battlefield, and the last man standing at the end of the fight is…Find out next time!


	9. The Doors to Pendulum

**Chapter 9: The Doors to Pendulum**

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Yuya heard it again, just as he had when he'd found Yuzu standing in the alleyway on Monday night. He heard the spine-chilling scream of a woman as it rang through his ears, his mind, his soul.

Only this time, the scream was neither distant nor incorporeal. This time it wasn't alone.

His first thought was that he must have been dreaming.

Yuya saw before him the unfolding of a scene that resembled something out of a movie, lurid and ghastly at once. He was paralyzed, forced to observe the devastation and ruination around him. The word "battlefield" sprang to the forefront of his mind, though he couldn't remember thinking it in the first place.

Around him thick palls ascended from the ground, and the sky was peppered with black smoke and more distant screams. Fires crackled and danced like ballerinas around the skyscrapers and storefronts – or, rather, what remained of them. Most of the buildings were razed to the ground, and those that weren't were streaked with heavy cracks and ruptures, their windows broken. Shards of colored glass littered the streets and sidewalks, both of which also contained overturned cars and fallen streetlamps.

In the middle of the street, in front of the half-standing remains of what was once a skyscraper, sat a large, half-broken glass heart. Jagged fissures ran through it, and Yuya felt compelled to take a closer look.

In the back of his mind, however, he realized that he could neither move nor feel his body. In fact, he couldn't see his arms or legs or torso at all, but he felt the warmth of the fire near him, as though he had been standing only a few inches away from it.

He barely had time to register this feeling before he heard another scream, this one emanating not from a woman but from a child. Then a brown-haired boy, no more than nine years old, sprinted forward, moving as though his life depended on it. His eyes were puffy, the color of the buildings' flames. On his left arm was an orange Duel Disk. Yuya tried to call out to him, to find out what was the matter, but to no avail. It wasn't just his body. His voice, it seemed, had abandoned him, too.

Though his succor went unspoken, Yuya didn't have to wait long to see the boy's problem.

In the distance, bounding forward in the same direction as the boy, was a dog. _No_ , Yuya thought, comparing this dog's gait with the gaits of En and Kilo and Watt, the stray dogs his mother had taken in. No – even from this far away he could see that it wasn't a regular dog, a fact that became readily apparent as the creature advanced.

Then Yuya noticed it. The dog was a machine.

It had a sleek coat of dark green paint where its fur should have been. Its metal eyes, located on either side of its head, were piercing and red. Two bottom teeth emerged from its mouth, gleaming. Golden cogs revolved on the creature's underbelly and loin. Bendable piping comprised its tail.

Though Yuya had never seen the beast before, a sudden sense of recognition besieged him, as though he had known for years about this thing: It was a Duel Monster.

"Please, someone, help me!" the boy cried to the empty streets. And as the boy ran down the sidewalk, another paroxysm of lucidity, like a light in the dark, flared inside Yuya: On the street, underneath the boy's feet, and on the sidewalks there were tens, if not hundreds, of Duel Monsters cards strewn everywhere. Judging from the few upturned ones that Yuya could see, they were blank, textless. He vainly wished that he could move his body to get a better look.

The boy tried again, "Please, some–" but his legs buckled under him. He teetered to the right and fell to the ground, face down, scraping his knee on the cracked street pavement. He cried the words again as he tried to regain control of his body, lifting himself and cradling his knee to his chest. A fresh batch of tears spilled.

The boy had no sooner fallen than the dog caught up with him, stopping a foot away from his prone body. The boy's eyes were full moons lost among the ghost-white pallor of his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but the only sound that came was a faint sobbing noise.

 _Stop_. The word hung on the tip of Yuya's tongue. He wanted desperately to be able to speak, if only just that one word – he had never wanted anything more. His mouth wouldn't cooperate. Yuya said nothing.

"There's nowhere left to run."

From the other side of the street where the sentence had stemmed, a new figure came into focus. He appeared to be only a few years older than Yuya himself, with spiked black hair. He wore a red blazer with two white stripes. Like the boy, this figure sported a Duel Disk on his left arm, but it was unlike any that Yuya had ever seen. It was fashioned in the shape of a red sword.

"It's the end of the line for you, kid," the figure said, bridging the distance between them. The fires from the buildings seemed to intensify with every step taken by the figure, goading him to march forward. He laughed as he clicked a few buttons on his Duel Disk. A low, mechanical hum supplanted the boy's sobs, and the blazered duelist took another step forward and said, "Quit your struggling already. It's pointless."

 _Stop_. But Yuya said nothing.

Bringing his Duel Disk up to his face, the duelist looked at the monitor and said, "Survivor spotted. Commencing disposal."

"Please," the boy said, pleading through his tears. He kept repeating the word like a sacred prayer, even when the spiky-haired duelist stood right beside the mechanical hound.

The duelist lowered his Duel Disk and tapped one last button. The machine filled with dim light. He wore a smirk now, haughty and content – the smirk of a victor. "You should be honored," he said.

"Please."

The light covered the Duel Disk, turning its blade from pinkish red to a shade of violet that could have been mistaken for black.

The duelist said, "This way, you get to be a part of the Professor's salvation."

 _Stop!_ The word echoed through Yuya's mind, consuming him. It was all he could think. He said nothing.

For a moment, only seconds, the flames behind two strangers looked dim and far away – muted, even. They appeared almost invisible as a flash of purple light entered the street, eclipsing everything in its path. And then the street quietened, the sobs faded, and the fires roared on.

The blazered duelist bent down, scooping into his right hand a Duel Monsters card. Yuya noticed that the card came from the spot where the little boy stumbled. Then the word _stop_ was replaced.

 _No_.

As if confirming Yuya's fears, the duelist fanned the card like an old photograph he was trying to dry. He gave it a cursory look and sneered before throwing it aside and walking off. The card glided through the air like a wayward dandelion seed, falling to the ground in Yuya's line of vision, face up. Like the others cards, he saw that this one had no text on it.

Unlike the others, he could see this card's image. On it was the cowering face of the young duelist, tears and all. The last face he'd made before the glow of purple light. Yuya didn't know how he managed it, still unable to feel his body, but he forced himself to look away.

He saw the tail end of the blazer, not the duelist, slink down an alleyway and disappear, and then one more scream resounded from somewhere close before the world around him seemed to stop.

In the burgeoning silence, that initial thought came to Yuya again: He must have been dreaming. Yes, that was it. He knew that what he'd witnessed wasn't real – it couldn't have been – and he found solace in this reality. This was only a dream – or, technically, a nightmare. Either way, he would soon wake up in his bed to the chirping of birds outside his window and the buttery scent of his mother's pancakes downstairs. Of this he was confident.

Another scream pierced the silence. Yuya hoped he would wake up soon and that everything would be normal again.

And then something occurred to him. Hadn't he been dueling Reiji a minute ago at You Show?

His thoughts came in wavelike bursts. _Wait, that's right. I already woke up today. I woke up, made myself breakfast, talked to Mom and Yuzu, then went to duel Akaba Reiji, and then…and then…and then what?_

How had his duel with Reiji ended? Who had won? He couldn't remember the result. The last thing he remembered was Reiji playing a card, a Trap Card, he thought. And then…

It happened before he had time to connect his thoughts. As though someone had flipped a switch inside Yuya's mind, some visceral part of him recognized this vision – the whole nightmarish ordeal he'd just witnessed – as a memory. But the thought lasted only a moment, and afterward Yuya considered the idea ridiculous, partly because of the unrealistic nature of whatever occurred between those two duelists, but mostly because he had no recollection whatsoever of such an event. He knew that he would absolutely remember something like this.

 _No, this is all a dream_ , he thought. And sooner or later he would wake up from it. Even now, he could almost hear Yuzu's voice calling out for him:

"Yuya, Yuya…"

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **(Yuya Sakaki: 800 LP/Reiji Akaba: 100 LP)**

"Yuya!" Yuzu rapped on the window with all her might, staring at the spot in the middle of the Action Field's street where Yuya was kneeling, head bowed. Other voices – Shuzo's, Gongenzaka's – joined Yuzu's, but hers rang out loudest. "Yuya! Pull yourself together, Yuya!"

Reiji, too, watched Yuya from the other side of the street. Overhead, green hoops of light sailed past him and signaling spotlights canvased the sky. He tightened his grip on the two Pendulum Monsters in his hand and waited for Yuya to end his turn.

While waiting, he studied the duel's current result. He compared his vacant field and the three cards in his hand to Yuya, who had no cards in his hand but controlled Entermate Odd-Eyes Light Phoenix (Scale: 3) and Magician of Chronomancy (Scale: 8) in his Pendulum Zone, as well as a full field of five monsters –Magician of Astromancy and Entermates Skullcrobat Joker and Drumming Kong in Attack Position (1200, 1800, and 1600 ATK, respectively), Entermate Kaleido Scorpion (2300 DEF), and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, still affected by Drumming Kong (3100 ATK).

All in all, Reiji decided, the duel had been surprisingly reciprocal, more so than he had predicted. Yuya had proven himself, in more ways than one.

As Reiji thought this this, after nearly a minute of waiting Yuya's head finally lifted. Then his body followed the same stiff motion. Unsmiling, he bent his knees, stood up, and opened his eyes, meeting Reiji's gaze. Though Reiji maintained his reticent expression, he felt something unexplainable stir within him when he looked into Yuya's eyes, something unfamiliar and dangerous.

Then in a voice like a glacier, Yuya said, "Turn end."

It was as if everyone – Shuzo, Himika and Reira, the You Show spectators, even Reiji – all felt something cold and inscrutable pass through the atmosphere that made them shiver at the sound of Yuya's voice. And then the feeling left them, and no one could explain why it had come.

Reiji blinked twice and took a moment to collect his thoughts. He said, "At this moment, Entermate Drumming Kong's effect ends, and the ATK of Odd-Eyes returns to normal."

Sure enough, Odd-Eyes lost its yellow glow. (3100 – 2500 ATK)

"It's my turn now. Draw!" Reiji said, and drew a card.

In the spectating room, Himika bent down until she was face to face with Reira. "Watch closely," she said, her hauteur impossible to disguise. "This is an important moment for us."

Reira gulped and his eyes went round. He clutched his teddy bear tighter and turned to Reiji.

Reiji looked from the cards in his hand to Yuya, and his glasses caught the glare from an oscillating searchlight, concealing his eyes. "Sakaki Yuya," he said. "You have opened the door to Pendulum. Now, are you ready to witness what lies beyond it?"

Yuya said nothing.

"They're coming," Gongenzaka said, eyes trained on Yuya's back. "Akaba Reiji's two Pendulum Monsters. But how did he get his hands on them in the first place?"

Dennis, wide-eyed and standing behind Gongenzaka, swallowed the lump in his throat. _He can actually use all four summoning methods. Who is this guy, Akaba Reiji? Wait._ And before he could stop himself, he gasped, as if receiving a divine epiphany, and said, "Akaba…"

"What, Dennis?" Futoshi said, too absorbed in the duel to look at Dennis, who quickly shook his head and said, stammering, "No, it's nothing."

Yuzu's right hand, still balled into a fist and pressed against the glass, uncurled. She wanted nothing more than to see Yuya's face, to see his smile, just to know that it was still there. But he didn't turn around. "Yuya," she said.

At that moment, Reiji looked at his empty Duel Disk. "Prepare yourself," he said, giving a quick nod of his head. "It's my turn to go all out."

With a dramatic flourish that made his scarf flail, he thrust two cards forward. "I, using the Scale 1 DD Magical Astronomer Galilei and the Scale 10 Magical Astronomer Kepler, set the Pendulum Scale!"

He placed the cards on the ends of his Duel Disk, and the word "Pendulum" appeared in capitalized, rainbow lettering. On either side of him came two pillars of light. The left one contained Galilei, a hunched, primitive gold machine, with jagged rocks for a lower body and a giant telescope lens in place of its chest. Silver gears spun underneath the lens. (Scale: 1)

The right pillar contained Kepler, a blue drone with a spiral of silver running up its body. A gold set of tracks wrapped around its body, upon which raced several orbs – red, orange, yellow, and green – that resembled miniature planets. (Scale: 10)

"With this, I can simultaneously summon multiple monsters from Level Two to Level Nine!"

The You Show crew watched with bated breath. They all wondered: Could Reiji really do it?

A rift in the sky opened as Reiji's voice, assured and authoritative, as though it wasn't his first time Pendulum Summoning, filled the room:

"Grand power that shakes my very soul! Arise within me and give birth to a new light that rends the darkness!"

The rift pulsed and a flood of purple light gushed from it like a geyser.

"Pendulum Summon! Revive from my Extra Deck, DDD Wisdom King Chaos Apocalypse! And from my hand, the supreme deity that passes judgment upon the twilight of gods. Level 8, DDD Oblivion King Abyss Ragnarok!"

The crystal-bodied monster reappeared, its spiked hands and arms out and ready. (2700 ATK)

Appearing beside Chaos Apocalypse was Abyss Ragnarok, a monster more menacing than all of its predecessors. Even seated upon its ancient throne, the demonic monster possessed an aura of intimidation. Ropey black tendrils shot up from its arms and legs like bandages. On its head and shoulders were gold-orange horns in the shape of crescent moons. A tattered black cape dipped behind its back, billowing like a parachute. (2200 ATK)

"It can't be," Yuzu said.

Gongenzaka's brow furrowed. "So he was able to manage it after all."

"Big bro Yuya," the three kids began to say, but they were interrupted by something that surprised them.

On the battlefield Reiji had begun to laugh, covering his face with his hand. He mumbled something into his hand, then lifted his head and stared at Abyss Ragnarok through the gaps in his fingers as if seeing it for the first time. He said, loud enough for the others to hear, "It's so obvious. Why didn't I see it before?"

Gongenzaka and Yuzu exchanged glances, as did Tatsuya, Futoshi and Ayu. They waited for Reiji to continue, and he did.

"Pendulum Summoning is simply the first step," he said. "It isn't yet complete. There are more doors to open, many more."

At this declaration, even Himika seemed surprised, but it was Shuzo, from his seat in the control room, who said, almost musingly, "More doors to Pendulum?"

As if in reply, Reiji said, "I've seen what lies beyond mere Pendulum Summoning just now, and I will have you all bear witness to it here – the evolution of Pendulum Summoning!"

"What lies beyond," Yuzu murmured.

"When it's successfully Special Summoned," said Reiji, "Abyss Ragnarok allows me to Special Summon a DDD monster from my Graveyard. Revive, DDD Caesar the Surging Waves King!"

One of Abyss Ragnarok's tendrils impaled the ground, creating a circular black portal. From it arose the fallen blue Xyz Monster, heaving its sword over its shoulder. (2400 ATK)

Reiji motioned to Caesar. "Continuing, I use Abyss Ragnarok's additional effect. Once per turn, by releasing a DD monster, I can banish one monster my opponent controls. I release Caesar the Surging Waves King to banish Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

He slid the Xyz Monster back into his Graveyard, and Abyss Ragnarok responsively wrapped its black dressings around Caesar's body, squeezing until it was fully covered. With a sense of callous indifference, Abyss Ragnarok threw the mummified body at Odd-Eyes, and when it connected the dragon fell back and both monsters vanished.

Gongenzaka gritted his teeth. "Tch, Odd-Eyes was…"

"Yuya," said Yuzu, watching him. If there was one thing that would get a reaction of out him, she thought that it would be the loss of his ace monster.

But Yuya didn't react, and Yuzu knew this to be true: something was definitely wrong with him.

"When DDD Caesar is sent from the field to the Graveyard," Reiji added, "I can add a Contract card to my hand. I add a third Contract with the Swamp King to my hand."

Dennis understood first. Astonished, he said, "He's going to go from Pendulum to–"

"Precisely." Reiji retrieved the Contract card from his deck and activated it. "I will open the door to Pendulum Fusion with this one card."

Shuzo slammed his hands against the control panel, rising from his chair. "Pendulum Fusion!"

Reiji gestured to his Spell Card. "I activate Contract with the Swamp King's secondary effect. When using this card to Fusion Summon a DD monster, I can banish monsters in the Graveyard to use as Fusion Materials."

"Graveyard Fusion?" the three You Show kids cried.

Two cards slid out of Reiji's discard slot. He turned them over, saying, "Using this effect, I banish DD Night Howling and DD Pandora from my Graveyard and fuse them."

The mouth monster and the hourglass-shaped woman merged together behind Reiji, who chanted: "Creature born in the desolate underworld, be absorbed by the crucible of disaster, and be reborn into a new king!"

Navy blue bat wings unfurled like a map, revealing the womanly physique of the creature behind them. Adorned in sleek silver armor garnished with gold trimming, the monster backflipped through the air twice and unsheathed the longsword strapped to its back, striking a pose when it landed. (2800 ATK)

"Fusion Summon! Come forth, ruler who carries the glory of God. DDD Oracle King d'Arc!"

"Pendulum Fusion," Dennis said under his breath. He turned from Reiji's monster to the other spectators, who were all enthralled by Reiji's phenomenal feat. Finding this to be as good a time as any to go, Dennis, tiptoeing, slinked out of the room and then out of the building, undetected.

"Battle," said Reiji. "I attack Entermate Drumming Kong with DDD Oracle King d'Arc. Oracle Charge!"

A purple aura crossed d'Arc's blade, and the monster wrapped both hands around its hilt, lunging forward.

Ayu grabbed Yuzu's shirt sleeve and pulled. "This is bad," she said. "If that attack connects, then he'll take 1200 damage."

Tatsuya gritted his teeth. "And he's only got 800 Life Points as it is. Big bro Yuya!"

Finally Yuya spoke again. "Entermate Drumming Kong's effect: The ATK of my battling monster increases by 600."

Drumming Kong beat on its chest, glowing. (1600 – 2200 ATK)

Then d'Arc reached the gorilla and its sword pierced through it cleanly. Drumming Kong groaned and exploded, and Yuya placed its card in his Extra Deck compartment.

 **(Yuya: 200 LP/Reiji: 100 LP)**

Futoshi wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his arm. "H-he made it."

"But he's not safe yet," Tatsuya said.

Reiji pushed his glasses up the bridge of his noise, pointing to his next target. "Next, I attack Magician of Astromancy with DDD Wisdom King Chaos Apocalypse. Perdition Bomb!"

Bringing its clawed hands together, Chaos Apocalypse conjured up a powerful orb of violet energy. It started to fill the Action Field with a fierce gust, sucking everything in towards it. Then it released the blast at the unsuspecting magician.

Amidst the screams of his name from Gongenzaka and Yuzu, Yuya felt an instinctive emotion pull his body forward: self-preservation. No, more than that, there flowed an undercurrent of anger beneath it – anger at Reiji for his provocations, anger at his Pendulum Summoning, misplaced anger that seemed to have no origin or end. He would absolutely defeat Reiji. This was his vow, and what propelled him forward, into the entrance of an arcade, where he found an Action Card.

"Illusion Dance, activate." He jammed the card into his Duel Disk. "All monsters switch to Defense Position until the End Phase."

The attack disappeared altogether. Relieved, Magician of Astromancy and Entermate Skullcrobat Joker fell to their knees. (2400 and 100 DEF, respectively)

Likewise, Chaos Apocalypse, Abyss Ragnarok, and Oracle King d'Arc became inert. (2000, 3000, and 2000 DEF, respectively)

Reiji looked from the field to the final card in his hand. Secretly he felt relieved. Seeing Yuya like this was what he'd sought; he didn't want the opportunity to slip away so soon. If there truly existed a connection between Yuya's change in personality and Pendulum Summoning, no matter how tenuous, he intended to find out for himself.

"I set one card," Reiji said, and the card appeared behind Abyss Ragnarok. "My turn is over."

Then Illusion Dance's effect ended, and the affected monsters stood, first Reiji's two Pendulums and his Fusion (2700, 2200, and 2800 ATK, respectively), and then Yuya's Magician and Joker. (1200 and 1800 ATK, respectively)

"My turn," Yuya said. He drew his card but didn't looking at it. Instead, he tapped his Duel Disk, opened the Extra Deck chamber, and snatched the two cards inside. Nodding to the Light Phoenix and Chronomancy Magician in his Pendulum Zone, he said, "Once more, Pendulum Summon. Revive, my monster servants. Wisdom-Eye Magician, Entermate Drumming Kong!"

The masked magician and the percussion-equipped gorilla returned to the field. (1500 and 1600 ATK, respectively)

"Battle." The word came out of Yuya's mouth like a snarl from a rabid dog. "Entermate Skullcrobat Joker attacks DDD Oblivion King Abyss Ragnarok."

Skullcrobat Joker bowed and tipped its top hat to its foe. Opalescent rainbow energy gathered around the hat's brim.

"Drumming Kong's effect increases Joker's ATK by 600," Yuya said, and the rainbow aura cocooned the entire hat. (1800 – 2400 ATK)

Then Yuya said it, anger glossing his every icy syllable like a winter frost: "Go, Skullcrobat Joker! Eradicate Akaba Reiji!"

"Eradicate?" Gongenzaka repeated, stumbling twice over the word. To his right the three trembling You Show children congregated behind Yuzu, eyes beady with fear.

"This isn't right," Yuzu said. If anyone had heard her, they made no sign of it. Another tableau of Yuya, standing over Sawatari's bruised, defeated body, came to her mind. "Yuya…"

Now it was Reiji who whirled around to look for an Action Card. Spotting one right above his head, suspended in midair, he turned to Chaos Apocalypse. With a shocking display of speed, he scaled his monster, jumping from its outstretched hand to its shoulder to its head, where he managed to grab the Action Card right as Abyss Ragnarok took Joker's attack and exploded.

"Action Magic, Damage Vanish," he shouted from his perch atop the Pendulum Monster. "It reduces the battle damage that I take to zero."

And as the Action Card vanished, Reiji jumped down from Chaos Apocalypse. He brushed the debris from his shirt and pants, and then said, "Is this how you plan to eradicate me?"

"Shut up!" Yuya snapped, voice cracking under its own weight. A feverish light passed through his eyes, intensifying as he balled his hands into fists. In front of him, Skullcrobat Joker's aura dissolved. (2400 – 1800 ATK)

"Damn," Gongenzaka muttered. "That was his one and only chance to seize victory. His other monsters aren't strong enough, and Drumming Kong's effect can't be used again."

Yuya looked at the card in his hand for the first time. He gripped it between his thumb and index finger, turning it around. "Magic Card: Catastrophe Draw. I destroy my five monsters and draw two cards."

Stunned disbelief crossed the faces of Yuya's monsters. Then one by one they disappeared, starting with Wisdom-Eye Magician, then the three Entermate monsters, and ending with Magician of Astromancy.

Yuya drew twice, glowered at the cards. "Monster, set. Card, set. Turn end."

Shuzo, lost in thought, ran his fingers along the whistle wrapped around his neck. He looked at Yuya with a hint of disappointment, and he couldn't help but compare him to his father. _Yusho would never willingly destroy his monsters like that. He would value each of them equally and work hard to protect them with all his strength. Isn't that what he taught you, Yuya?_

"Eh, he's playing defensively?" Futoshi said.

"Well, it's his victory either way," Tatsuya said. When Futoshi gave him a quizzical look, Tatsuya pointed to the Spell Card still on Reiji's field, Contract with the Swamp King. "During the Standby Phase, Akaba Reiji will take 1000 damage from his own card, remember?"

Futoshi nodded with verve. "Oh, now I see!"

Himika, overhearing the two, sniggered. "We'll see about that," she said under her breath.

"My turn, draw!" Reiji said, doing so.

Just as Tatsuya had foretold, Contract with the Swamp King turned pitch black, and the dark aura leapt from its card to Reiji, who, smiling, humbly accepted it. And indeed his Life Points changed.

 **(Yuya: 200 LP/Reiji: 1100 LP)**

"Hey!" Ayu said. "His Life Points were supposed to go down, not up! What gives?"

"It's true that Contract with the Swamp King inflicts 1000 damage to me during my Standby Phase," said Reiji. "Equally true is that it should have been enough to cause me to lose the duel."

He readjusted his glasses. "However, when that happened just now, DDD Oracle King d'Arc's effect, Life Elation, triggered. When I would take card effect damage, Oracle King d'Arc restores my Life Points by that amount instead."

"No way," said Ayu and Futoshi, their high spirits defeated.

Reiji signaled to the pillars that flanked him. "With these Scales in play, I can once more summon monsters from Level Two to Level Nine from my hand and Extra Deck. Pendulum Summon! Resurrect, Level 8, DDD Oblivion King Abyss Ragnarok!"

No one, not even Reiji, could have predicted the buzzing noise that echoed from his Duel Disk, or the large "Error" sign that appeared in blocky red letters on the disk's monitor.

"What?" Reiji said. Bewilderment spread across his face like wildfire, an emotion that the You Show crew had begun to think he lacked.

Tatsuya noticed the problem first. "Look!" He enjoined the others to follow his gaze, which he directed at the cards in Reiji's Pendulum Zone. And sure enough, the numbers that were originally underneath Galilei and Kepler, 1 and 10, had altered. (Scale: 3 and Scale: 8, respectively)

 _They changed?_ Reiji thought, glancing down at the Pendulum Cards. He raised an eyebrow when he noticed that the cards, which were bereft of text beforehand, now possessed both Pendulum and Monster Effects. _As expected, they were only prototypes after all._

He looked down to the card he'd drawn. Well, it wasn't the end of the world; he could still make things work.

"I release DDD Wisdom King Chaos Apocalypse to Advance Summon DD Proud Ogre from my hand."

In place of Chaos Apocalypse stood a grim figure. Clad in bulky red armor, it stood eight feet tall. A dark horned helmet, which had a blue orb on one of its horns and a gold earring on its right side, hid its entire face. The creature carried a battleax in its right hand. (2300 ATK)

"He summoned a weaker monster?" Futoshi asked. "Why would he do that?"

"When Normal Summoned," Reiji said by way of response, "DD Proud Ogre can Special Summon, with its effects negated, a Dark-Attribute Pendulum Monster from my Extra Deck. Revive, DDD Oblivion King Abyss Ragnarok!"

Proud Ogre slammed its battleax into the ground, creating a fissure in the street. From it Abyss Ragnarok burst forth, throne and all. (2200 ATK)

"Moreover," Reiji added, "even with my Pendulum Scales currently at 3 and 8, I can summon, from my Extra Deck, the Level 7 Chaos Apocalypse that I just released. Now, Pendulum Summon! Return to us, Chaos Apocalypse!"

Another gap opened in the sky, and Chaos Apocalypse broke through it, retaking its rightful place beside Abyss Ragnarok and Oracle King d'Arc. (2700 ATK)

Himika studied the battlefield: Reiji's four monsters against Yuya's one. That was that. Yuya's victory was out of the question. "This duel is over," she muttered. "Reiji has won."

Reira held his teddy bear closer to his chest, forcing himself to regulate his breathing. This act went unnoticed to all except Tatsuya, who spotted it from the corner of his eye.

"Don't give up yet, Yuya! Stand firm and resolute," said Gongenzaka, cupping his hands to his mouth to make sure Yuya received the message. "That's the way a man should duel."

"Big bro Yuya," the kids said.

"Battle Phase," Reiji announced. "I attack that facedown monster with DD Proud Ogre!"

Proud Ogre twirled its battleax like a baton, showboating. When it grew tired of this, it marched over to Yuya's field and raised the weapon over its head. With a deft slash, it brought it down on the facedown monster, which flipped over to reveal a trio of chirruping parakeets. (500 DEF) They were all crushed under the massive weight of the ax.

Yuya placed the card into his Extra Deck. "Entermate Parakhorus's effect," he said before Reiji could declare another attack. "When it's destroyed by battle, I can Special Summon an Entermate from my deck. Come, Amenboat."

The orange water strider with the gondola on its back appeared, bushy eyebrows twisted in a look of consternation. (500 ATK)

"I attack Entermate Amenboat with Oracle King d'Arc. Oracle Charge!"

"Amenboat's effect," Yuya said. "I change its position and negate the attack."

Amenboat crouched down before d'Arc even began its assault. (1600 DEF)

"I attack Amenboat again with Wisdom King Chaos Apocalypse. Perdition Bomb!"

Another sphere of dark energy materialized in Chaos Apocalypse's hands. It let loose the dark orb, and Amenboat instantaneously disappeared, sucked into the vacuum-like pull of its gravity.

"One more attack remains," Reiji said. "DDD Oblivion King Abyss Ragnarok, attack Sakaki Yuya directly! Final Judgment!"

Abyss Ragnarok clutched down hard on it's the armrests of its throne. With great effort, the monster stood, standing taller than the other three DD monsters. It trudged over to Yuya, producing more tendrils with each step. Yuya stood there, still and motionless, head bowed.

"Yuya!" Yuzu's voice filled the room.

"This is the end!" Reiji shouted.

When he lifted his head, a scorching intensity surged through his eyes. Reiji could have sworn he even saw them glow red.

"Entermate Odd-Eyes Light Phoenix's Pendulum Effect!" Yuya said. "When I'm attacked directly while this card is in the Pendulum Zone, the other card in my Pendulum Zone is destroyed, and this monster is Special Summoned!"

Odd-Eyes Light Phoenix spread its wings and swooped down from its pillar. As Magician of Chronomancy abruptly burst into motes of yellow light, the red-orange phoenix flew in front of Yuya, shielding him with its golden wings. (1000 DEF)

No sooner had that happened than Abyss Ragnarok placed a hand upon the bird. Light Phoenix screeched out in pain, squirming madly. Flailing for a few more seconds, it disintegrated, its body turning to a smoldering pile of ash and dust.

Shuzo frowned as he watched the duel's development, rubbing his chin with one hand. "He's destroying his own cards again?"

Reiji narrowed his eyes behind his glasses, flexing the fingers of his empty hands. He took note of the last item in Yuya's possession, the lone facedown card. His monsters were gone, his Pendulum Cards were gone – the prospect of retaliation seemed slim, to say the least. Coolly, Reiji said, "With that, I end my turn."

Anger brimmed inside Yuya, pushing his other negative emotions to the surface. Hatred, impatience, aggression, hostility, rage – all of them had a free pass at Yuya's body and soul. He screamed out loud, eyes flaring again. He couldn't think straight. But that didn't matter, just as it didn't matter that Reiji had wiped out all his resources – in fact, paradoxically, that had only hardened Yuya's resolve to win. He would defeat Akaba Reiji at all costs.

Yuya touched the top card of his deck. A black aura, barely visible in the poorly-lit Action Field, materialized around the card, transferred to it by Yuya. Here it was, the card that would bring about Reiji's defeat. He could almost feel it.

"Draw!" he shouted, grabbing the card with all of his might and staring at it. He stood that way for some time, card pressed near his face. Then his posture changed, became slack and carefree. He took a sharp inhale of breath and clutched the side of his head with one hand, falling to his knees in slow-motion. He groaned the same word, "ow, ow, ow," into his arm over and over again.

No one dared say anything for a while. Yet another abrupt behavioral change from Yuya, and it proved impossible to tell whether this one would be for better or worse.

Eventually, when the agony of the silence became too much to bear, it was Yuzu who ventured out into the unknown, mercurial terrain. From the security of the spectators' room, she called, "Yuya?"

Yuya opened his eyes partway and turned to look over his shoulder. At last, a familiar voice. He removed his hand from his head, briefly jolted out of his headache. "Y-Yuzu."

They traded glances, and for the first time in what felt like weeks, Yuzu saw Yuya clearly. She was staring at his face – not Yugo's, and not the face of whoever saved her from Sora. She saw Yuya's guileless nature reflected in his eyes, the compassion in his smile. This was Yuya, the real Yuya. Whatever had transpired in the past ten minutes, whatever had possessed him to act the way that he had – the way that he'd also behaved against Strong Ishijima and Sawatari – had stopped.

Yuzu smiled and placed a hand over her heart, exhaling softly. To Yuya, it was the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen, and it made his own smile all the more wide.

"Thank goodness," he said, more to himself. "In the end, it really was a bad dream." He nodded, trying to convince himself. "I must have fainted for a minute."

"Yuya, are you all right?"

"Yeah, Yuzu." Yuya regained his footing and threw a hand over his head, saluting. He wiggled his arms and legs to make sure but didn't feel any discernible pain. "I think so."

Yuzu sighed her qualms away. "Thank goodness."

A similar air of relief flooded the room, enfolding the others. The three children, who had still been cowering behind Yuzu, stepped forward, recovering their original spots. Gongenzaka smirked and punched his open palm with a fist. They didn't bother to interrogate Yuya about his strange behavior, not during the duel. There would be plenty of time for that later. They were simply relieved to have Yuya acting normal.

On the Action Field, Reiji's mouth hung halfway open from shock. His eyes darted up and down Yuya's body, sizing him up. _What? I'm not sensing the same aura as before from him,_ he thought. _He's returned to his usual self._ Then he huffed. It seemed he had no more use for his experiment. This thought didn't displease him, however. It meant that he could finally stop holding back.

"Huh?" Yuya then noticed the change in the duel. He had only fainted for a minute or two, or so he thought – so then where were his Pendulum Cards? In fact, where were any of his cards? Hadn't he had a field packed with monsters only a minute ago? "What happened to my monsters? Odd-Eyes and the others?"

"What does he mean by that?" Ayu asked in a voice low enough to avoid being heard by Yuya.

"Beats me," said Futoshi, scratching his head.

"They were just there when Reiji used his Trap Card to…" His voice trailed off as his memory returned. In his mind's eye he saw his monsters declaring attacks and defeating Reiji's monster army. He saw Drumming Kong launch what should have been the duel's final attack. He saw Reiji summoning a monster – a Pendulum Monster – from his Graveyard, and then activating a Trap Card that gave him two more Pendulum Cards.

The stream of memory ended there.

Quickly, Yuya tapped the monitor of his Duel Disk, examining Reiji's current field. He blinked at the contents of the screen, eyes moving from the Fusion Monster to the swarm of Pendulum Monsters under Reiji's control.

None of it made sense to Yuya. He hadn't even ended his turn before fainting, so how could Reiji summon all those monsters? And he still wanted – no, needed – to know where Reiji's Pendulum Cards came from to begin with, because Pendulum Summoning had been something exclusive to him.

He felt something warm stir within his body, close to his heart, but he shook his head and forced himself to suppress the feeling. In the dark crevices of his mind he could barely recall this much: Reiji had told him that he could have the answers to his questions if he won the duel. The duel hadn't finished yet, so he still had a chance.

He looked at the monitor again and saw that it was his turn. Clicking on the screen, he viewed his facedown Trap Card. He hadn't remembered setting it or, for that matter, even drawing it, but he would have to get to the bottom of that later. For now, he had a duel to complete.

He looked at the one card in his hand, the one he'd just drawn. The many grinning faces on the card looked back at him.

 _Smile World. The card that symbolizes Mom and Dad's…_

He closed his eyes and thought back to that morning, when his mother had given him the card.

" _ **Smile World," Yuya read. He scanned the card.**_

" _ **Your father gave that card to me the night we met," said Yoko, regaining Yuya's attention. "When I was faced with a challenging trial, your father was there to make me – to make everyone – smile."**_

 _ **She turned to look out the window. The sky had taken on a purple hint, signaling the approach of morning. She said, "You have a big duel today, perhaps the most challenging trial you've had so far."**_

 _ **She stared into her son's eyes, hoping the poor lighting would disguise her own reminiscent sadness. "That's why I'm sure it's the right time to give you that card."**_

 _ **Yuya looked from the card to her. "Mom…"**_

 _ **Turning back to stare out the window, Yoko said, "Remember this well: No matter what you do, no matter where you go, never forget your smile, and never forget the power that it has in this world. You can bridge the whole world through dueling if you make people smile."**_

 _Bridging the whole world by making people smile with my dueling._ Yuya opened his eyes again and glanced at Smile World. _Can I really do that?_

He turned at Reiji's field of monsters. _Certainly, I don't know where Akaba Reiji got those Pendulum Monsters. And though I want to understand it, I won't use my duel as a tool for conflict and anger. It's meant to make people happy, just like Dad taught me. It's upsetting that Reiji can Pendulum Summon too, but…_

He took a deep breath, holding Smile World in both hands. He still didn't quite understand the extent of what he'd gone through, but he had already made up his mind on what he would do. He would take hold of his future by the horns.

 _Mom, Dad, please watch me,_ he thought, right before letting out the biggest, loudest laugh that he could muster.

Reiji looked first at the facedown card behind Abyss Ragnarok, and then to Yuya.

Yuya cleared his throat and began. "Ladies and gentlemen!" he shouted, throwing his arms over his head. "We have a very special show in store for you, for today only. What you're currently witnessing is history in the making – the very first duel of two Pendulum decks facing off against one another!"

Excited murmurs grew within the spectators' room.

Reira, mouth open, gazed at Yuya intently. He loosened his hold on his teddy bear.

"Oh, excuse me!" Yuya continued, laughing again. "My opponent came prepared, but I seem to be missing my own Pendulum Monsters. How silly of me!"

"That guy," Futoshi said. He and Ayu laughed at Yuya's antics.

"Ha ha." Yuya chuckled and rubbed the nape of his neck, feigning embarrassment. Winking, he said, "Not to worry, my faithful audience! I've got a wonderful treat for you in the meantime. Please feast your eyes on this!"

He took his card and slid it into his Duel Disk. Immediately, the Action Field filled with bright, cheerful colors. Greens, purples, oranges, blues, and pinks came in a number of different shapes – stars, circles, flowers, suns. But despite this variance, one thing connected each of the figures: They were all smiling.

"Magic Card, Smile World, activate!"

Shuzo stood up at once, identifying the Spell Card. "T-that's Yusho's…"

He wasn't the only person who recognized it. "Smile World," Reiji whispered.

"Dazzling, isn't it?" Yuya said. "When activated, Smile World, until the End Phase, increases the ATK of all face-up monsters by 100 for each monster on the field. Right now, there are four monsters on my opponent's field. Therefore, their ATK scores are increased by 400!"

"Eh?" This came not just from the You Show kids but from Gongenzaka and Yuzu as well.

"Now, smile!" Yuya declared.

Smiley faces floated around Reiji's monsters, all of whom chuckled and flashed enormous smiles. Abyss Ragnarok, Proud Ogre, Chaos Apocalypse, and Oracle King d'Arc linked arms, kicking their feet joyously. (2600, 2700, 3100, and 3200 ATK, respectively)

"All right, Yuya!" Shuzo screamed, pumping his fists in the air. "That's true Entertainment Dueling, handed down straight from Sakaki Yusho himself! Fire it up, make it even more hot-blooded!"

"But why would he use a card just to boost his opponent's monsters?" said Futoshi.

Yuya grinned. He had been anticipating Futoshi's curiosity. "This might get a little bright, but don't blink," he said, and clicked a button on his Duel Disk. "Trap Card, activate! Smile Potion!"

His facedown lifted, revealing a picture of a jug half-full of purple liquid. Then the jug materialized, glowed, and released its contents, painting the pavement amethyst.

"While I control no monsters, and the ATK of my opponent's monsters increases, I can activate this Trap to draw two cards! Now then, my audience, cheer me on as I etch the future of this performance into your hearts!"

The first voice came in an instant. "Pendulum, Pendulum!" Yuzu said, repeating the word until the rest of the gang chimed in.

"That's it!" Yuya said, reaching for his deck. He dug his thumb under the second card. "Draw!" He drew and twisted the cards around, saying, "They're here!"

He steadied his Duel Disk and spun the cards in Reiji's direction. "I, using the Scale 4 Entermate Trampolynx and the Scale 8 Entermate Odd-Eyes Unicorn, set the Pendulum Scale!"

He positioned the cards and their pillars appeared beside him. In the left sat the striped lynx with the trampoline on its back. (Scale: 4)

The right pillar housed a unicorn with olive green fur. Its mane and tail were the same shade of flamingo pink. Its horn and hooves, much like its vest, were bright blue. True to its name, its eyes were two different colors, red and green. (Scale: 8)

Like an unraveling scroll, Yuya saw his path to victory perfectly. _Those draws were just what I needed,_ he thought, looking to the unicorn from the corner of his eye. _Entermate Odd-Eyes Unicorn's Pendulum Effect can increase the ATK of an attacking Odd-Eyes monster by the ATK of an Entermate monster. If I combine that with the effects of Drumming Kong and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, I'll have enough damage to win the duel. All right, here I go!_

"With this, I can summon monsters from my Extra Deck whose Levels are between Five and Seven," said Yuya. "Swing once more, Pendulum of Souls! Draw an arc of light across the ether! Pendulum Summon!"

Yuya's Extra Deck opened and he grabbed the cards that were presented to him, tossing them on his Duel Disk.

"Come forth, my faithful monsters! Entermate Odd-Eyes Light Phoenix, Entermate Drumming Kong, Entermate Kaleido Scorpion, and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

The phoenix and the gorilla returned, giving fierce war cries. (2000 and 1600 ATK, respectively)

The scorpion followed them, shielding itself. (2300 DEF)

The dragon was nowhere to be found.

Yuya's forehead creased. Panicked, he opened his Extra Deck and scanned the cards. Wisdom-Eye Magician, Astromancy, Chronomancy, Entermate Skullcrobat Joker. No Odd-Eyes.

"Gone," he whispered. "Odd-Eyes is gone! Where did it go?"

Reiji narrowed his eyes, apparently finding interest in Yuya's plight.

"What do you mean?" said Gongenzaka. "Akaba Reiji banished it three turns ago with Abyss Ragnarok's effect. Remember?"

"Banished?" Yuya said the word as though he didn't understand its definition. He slid his hand into his pocket and felt a card brush against his fingers. He fished it out and found, as Gongenzaka had said, that its name read Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon. "Odd-Eyes…"

He began to breathe faster. His plans, his strategy, crumbled before his eyes. _Calm down,_ he told himself. _I can still make win with these three monsters._

Yuzu watched the slow disintegration of Yuya's smile, and she couldn't help but wonder whether the smile had been truly genuine or not. She whispered his name and prayed for his smile's return, fake or not.

Though it pained him, Yuya placed Odd-Eyes back in his pocket. Then he resumed his game plan. "I activate Kaleido Scorpion's effect and target Entermate Odd-Eyes Light Phoenix, so it can now attack all your Special Summoned monsters this turn."

Kaleido Scorpion shot Light Phoenix with a spurt of color, creating three rainbow silhouettes behind it.

Remembering his mother's words again, Yuya forced himself to smile. Even he was unconvinced by his own artificial smile But if it made his friends smile, he vowed to wear it with pride.

"Now then, everyone, it's time for the climax!" he cried. "I attack that Abyss Ragnarok with Entermate Odd-Eyes Light Phoenix!"

The phoenix unfurled its wings and soared high into the dark sky until it reached the room's ceiling.

"At this moment, I activate Drumming Kong's monster effect to increase Light Phoenix's ATK by 600!"

(2000 – 2600 ATK)

"Furthermore, I activate Entermate Odd-Eyes Unicorn's Pendulum Effect to increase the battling Odd-Eyes Light Phoenix's ATK by the ATK of Entermate Drumming Kong until the end of the Battle Phase!"

Light Phoenix screeched and its wings burst into brilliant flames. Flaming feathers molted from the bird and fell to the earth like shooting stars. (2600 – 4200 ATK)

"Go, Odd-Eyes Light Phoenix!"

The flames built, searing the monster's entire body. It flew over to Reiji's side of the field, angling itself above Abyss Ragnarok, thirsty for revenge. Without warning, the monster dive-bombed Abyss Ragnarok, descending at breakneck speed. To a few of the spectators, the phoenix could have been mistaken for a comet had they not known better.

"He won," Yuzu said, her voice no more than a whisper. "He beat Akaba Reiji."

"Big bro Yuya!" the kids whooped.

Reiji, impassive, looked up to see the phoenix drawing closer. Pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, he tapped a button on his Duel Disk. His facedown card flipped over.

"Trap Card, open. DDD Contract Change!"

Reiji and Abyss Ragnarok moved together. As a card slid from Reiji's Graveyard, Abyss Ragnarok adroitly caught the falling phoenix with one hand, squeezing it hard until its flames extinguished.

Yuya took two steps back. "What?"

"DDD Contract Change can only be activated when an opponent's monster declares at attack," Reiji said. He grabbed the card from his Graveyard slot and showed it to Yuya – DDD Alexander the Gale King. "Once activated, it has two effects that I can choose from. The first, which I chose, banishes a DDD monster from my Graveyard to lower the attacking monster's ATK by that of the banished monster."

Himika rubbed her hands together. "DDD Alexander has an attacking power of 2500," she said. "When that's subtracted from Sakaki Yuya's 4200 ATK monster, the result is…"

The illusory form of DDD Alexander appeared beside Abyss Ragnarok. Alexander raised its sword and slashed at Odd-Eyes Light Phoenix, slicing its wings clean off. (4200 – 1700 ATK)

Gongenzaka grunted. "Yuya only has 200 Life Points left. If he takes that damage, then…"

Yuzu banged on the window. "Yuya, over there!"

"Counterattack, Abyss Ragnarok!" Reiji demanded. "Give that Light Phoenix a taste of its own medicine. Final Judgment!"

Abyss Ragnarok's black bandages ensnared the phoenix. Spinning the bandages around the now-wingless body, Abyss Ragnarok entombed its foe, then dropped the lifeless body on the ground. Callously, it raised one foot and stomped down on Yuya's monster, settling the matter once and for all.

Yuya's feet were cement against the cold street. He watched the blast from Reiji's counterattack near him. He gave one last look to his friends, only to see Yuzu pointing to something. He followed her finger to a spot fifteen feet behind him, where an Action Card waited on the sidewalk.

The blast from Abyss Ragnarok's attack was quick.

Yuya was quicker. He reached the Action Card seconds before the shockwave. Grinning, he pilfered it and turned it over, prepared to throw it into his Duel Disk.

Like lightning, the situation bolted through his mind in a matter of seconds. He looked at the Action Card in his hand: Miracle. It would save Light Phoenix from destruction, and halve the battle damage, but it wouldn't be enough to curb the loss completely. Shaken, he lamely dropped the card. There were no other Action Cards in sight. He was still searching for one when the counterattack hit him, sending him tumbling back. He screamed, and as his back collided with the floor, his Life Points hit zero.

 **(Yuya: 0 LP/Reiji: 1100 LP)**

A similar paralysis overcame Yuya's friends. They watched the Action Field fizzle into sprinkles of fleeting light. They watched Reiji collect his cards and return his deck and Duel Disk to its spot at his hip. Watching seemed to be the only thing could do – no one could speak, and if they had been able to, it would have been a miracle if they could find the right words to say.

Reiji dusted his clothes off again. As he turned to face Yuya, the room's overhead light caught his glasses, hiding his eyes. Though he hadn't seen everything that he'd wanted to from Yuya, he couldn't exactly call the duel a complete failure. He had discovered Pendulum Fusion himself, and he had no doubt that he could unlock the other Pendulum doors, too.

Still, he had come here, to You Show, with the intention of inducting Yuya into the Lancers. And now he had second thoughts. He hadn't changed his mind about giving Yuya the position; rather, he wanted to see how Yuya grew on his own before asking him to join his cause. He needed to know that Yuya had the capacity to evolve.

Reiji turned around, back facing Yuya, and made his way to the door. He twisted the knob and took a step inside, ready to leave the duel school with his family. He stood that way, with one foot in the duelists' room and one in the spectators', and asked Yuya to repeat himself.

With just enough strength to lift his upper body from the floor, Yuya asked it again: "Where did you get those Pendulum Cards?" His arms ached and gave out, and he collapsed on the floor once again.

Reiji peeked over his shoulder one final time. He stepped into the spectators' room to meet his family, closing the metal door behind him, but not before saying, "I could ask you the same question."

Reiji walked past the You Show group. He and his mother conversed in muted, furtive voices, and with the door closed Yuya found it impossible to decipher what they spoke about. He could occasionally hear the edges of Reiji's voice through the wall, its deep tenor quality like a muffled waterfall.

And then it, and the Akaba family, promptly left You Show Duel School, leaving a ghostly trail of defeat and distress in their wake.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

From the roof of a building a few hundred feet away the two of them watched Reiji exit You Show Duel School, opening the limousine door for his mother and Reira. In the distance, the Akaba family looked like microscopic insects. But there was no mistaking the regal appearance of Akaba Reiji, whose clout and status precluded any possibility of his being microscopic. He would always be important, a central piece in the maintenance of this dimension's daily life. This was what the two of them were banking on.

"That's the one," said the taller male in the blue trench coat. "That's Akaba Leo's son."

The shorter male shook his head, gray eyes aimed at his companion. "You understand what you're proposing, don't you? There are better ways of going about this."

"This is the quickest."

"People could get hurt."

The guy in the trench coat made a sound of disgust. "People already have gotten hurt. They're hurt us, Yuto. They've taken away our homes and our families. Do you intend for me to stand idly by and allow them to continue?"

The shorter man's – Yuto's – eyes softened. "No, but you shouldn't involve anyone who's innocent, either."

"This is for Ruri's sake. If anyone tries to get in my way, I'll defeat them." The man laced his voice with malice and added, "And that includes you."

Yuto was unfazed by the threat. Stone-faced, he said, "That wasn't what I meant, Shun."

"Then what are you trying to say?"

"Are you sure that Akaba Reiji is truly aligned with Academia?"

Shun wrinkled his nose at the question. "He's the CEO of the Leo Corporation, as in LDS. That much I've seen with my own eyes since I've been here. LDS is our enemy, so naturally he's part of Academia."

From his spot on the ground Reiji slid into the limousine after his mother and closed the door. The engine roared to life and the black car sailed out of view, weaving through city streets and alleys and becoming truly microscopic.

"This isn't our battlefield. We can't afford to pick the wrong enemies here. It's just the two of us."

Shun glared at the last visible traces of limousine. "That's fine. We're more than enough to take down those bastards." He moved to the ledge of the building and crouched, ready to go to the next rooftop to track Reiji.

Yuto grabbed his arm before he could jump. "Don't be reckless, Shun."

Shun looked at Yuto's face, stern and solemn and soft at once. Then he looked back to where Reiji's limousine had been, seeing no trace of it. He jerked his body to the side, breaking Yuto's grasp. And even when Yuto told him not to be reckless a second time, he still didn't say anything. He jumped off the rooftop, somersaulting onto the next one over, and he continued this pattern while Yuto watched him. It was better this way, Shun figured. He hated making promises that he couldn't keep.

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OCG/Anime/Custom Cards Shown In This Chapter –

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 **DD Proud Ogre (Pendulum Monster)**

Fiend/Pendulum/Level 6/Scale 8-8/Effect/DARK

2300 ATK/1500 DEF

Pendulum Effect: Once per turn: You can pay 500 LP, then target 1 "DD" monster you control; it gains 500 ATK (even if this card leaves the field). Unless you have a "DD" card in your other Pendulum Zone, this card's Pendulum Scale becomes 5.

Monster Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned: You can activate this effect; you cannot Special Summon monsters for the rest of this turn, except "DD" monsters, also Special Summon 1 face-up DARK Pendulum Monster from your Extra Deck, but its effects are negated.

Note: This card can be found in the Structure Deck: Pendulum Domination. It is currently only available in Asia.

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 **Catastrophe Draw (Spell)**

Normal Spell

Image: Five Duel Monsters getting flung back from a violent explosion as two cards are drawn.

Effect: Destroy 5 monsters you control; draw 2 cards.

Note: This card was first used by Yuya Sakaki in Episode 87 of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V." Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

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 **Damage Vanish (Spell)**

Normal Spell/Action Card

Image: A puffy blue cloud intercepting and neutralizing a pink bolt of lightning.

Effect: If you would take battle damage: Reduce it to 0.

Note: This card was first used by Dennis MacField in Episode 74 of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V." Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

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 **Smile Potion (Trap)**

Normal Trap

Image: A pink smiley face emoji floating inside a slightly full jug of purple liquid.

Effect: If you control no monsters and a monster(s) your opponent controls gains ATK: Draw 2 cards.

Note: This card was first used by Yuya Sakaki in Episode 104 of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V." Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

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Author's Note: After losing to Akaba Reiji and his Pendulum Cards, Yuya loses his confidence and his will to duel. Wanting to help him, Yuzu and Gongenzaka concoct a plan to give Yuya another chance to duel against Reiji. Things don't go as planned, however, and in the middle of their mission, Yuzu and Gongenzaka find themselves trapped against two powerful opponents. With no other choice but to duel, not just for Yuya's sake but for their own safety, what will the conclusion be? Find out next time!


	10. Operation: Infiltrate LDS!

Author's Note: Early update this time around (I'm getting better at updating more frequently, I promise!), seeing as though I'll be on a month-long vacation trip during July. Just thought you should know when to expect the next chapter. Fair warning: The chapter's a little longer than usual this time around, but I hope you enjoy it all the same, and I'll see you all again in August!

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 **Chapter 10: Operation: Infiltrate LDS!**

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Two days. That's how long it had been since any of them had seen Yuya. After losing his duel against Akaba Reiji, he had picked up his battered body, threw his goggles haphazardly over his eyes, and fled You Show. Shuzo had tried to stop him, had hurried down from the control room and made a grab for him as he darted past to the school's entrance doors, but Yuya had jerked his body to the left, as if in anticipation of being detained, and Shuzo had missed the catch.

Later, after they had all spent the entire afternoon cramped and disheartened in You Show's single classroom in the hope that Yuya would return, Shuzo had called Yuya's house three times, in twenty-five minute intervals. Each time, his mother would answer the phone and tell them that Yuya hadn't come home yet. She said the selfsame words in the selfsame tone all three times, and though Shuzo and the others had no reason to disbelieve her, they had all wondered, at one time or another, if she had been telling the truth or simply covering for her son.

They had never figured out the actual answer to this question, not even now, the following Monday afternoon, as they sat once again in the tiny classroom.

Yuzu sat alone at the back of the room, slumped in her chair. Her arms rested on the metal desk and her head rested on her arms. From her off-kilter view, she saw the only other people in the room – Futoshi, Ayu, and Tatsuya – sitting two rows ahead of her. None of had said more than two sentences after arriving that day, or even looked at each other.

Now the four of them were waiting for Shuzo's return. He'd had a sudden phone call that he needed to answer and he'd promised it wouldn't take long, but that had been fifteen minutes ago. An Xyz Summoning demonstration had been scheduled for the afternoon, but Dennis had yet to make an appearance. The lot of them had seen and heard even less of him than Yuya since Saturday, but no one seemed to mind too much. Dennis was something of a mixed bag, always seeming to come and go at his own leisure.

Yuya wasn't just missing the dueling lesson at You Show; he had been absent from Maiami Second earlier that day as well. It was one thing to skip dueling, but for him to avoid his education altogether was a different behemoth entirely.

Yuzu wondered if she should call the Sakaki household herself. Over the years, she had seen multiple depressive sulking streaks from Yuya, particularly when something went wrong or didn't go his way. The worst of these streaks had been incurred in the aftermath of Yuya's father's disappearance, following the fateful day that Strong Ishijima, seemingly overnight, had been crowned the Pro League Duel Champion on a technicality. For months after that, Yuya had moped around town with his head hung shamefully, a lone martyr shouldering his father's disgrace.

As she thought this, Yuzu felt an ache in her neck, so she turned her head the other way. She noticed something glinting on her wrist in the dim fluorescent lighting. She looked down to discover the pink gemstone in her bracelet, and it reminded her of Yugo, of the crazy, unbelievable things he'd told her.

In the silence of the room, she tried to remember all the far-fetched things he'd mentioned: The four different worlds – no, _dimensions_ had been the term he had insisted on using – that comprised the universe; Rin, a girl who allegedly had the same face as her; his, Yugo's, being from the Synchro Dimension, which was probably also the case with Rin; someone abducting Rin in the middle of the night, someone with the same face as Yugo; there existed some place or some person named Academia.

 _No, wait,_ she thought. _That's not right. It wasn't Yugo that mentioned Academia. It was Sora. Sora and…_

His face showed up, with no name to call its own. In her memory, his features appeared in vague outlines like a pliant shadow – dark clothing, goggles, spiked hair, a scarf that was maybe red or brown or black.

What she lacked in the recall of apparel descriptions, she made up for in the remembrance of his face. There was no mistaking that he'd had the same face as Yuya and Yugo. Unlike those two, though, he hadn't smiled once, not before or during his duel against Sora. But his face matched all the same.

Then the big picture question came: why? Or maybe, she thought now, how? How was it possible for people to have different faces? And now she didn't just think about Yuya but about herself, too.

 _Serena and Rin, two people that appear to look exactly like me._ _What's going on?_

And then she remembered how she had even come to this thought, because she had been thinking about Academia. None of Yugo's explanations in any way explained the enigma of Academia, whoever or whatever it was in the first place.

They didn't explain Ruri, either. That's what that guy had called her, wasn't it? She'd heard it herself when he looked at her and said it:

 _ **I don't want you to get hurt anymore, Ruri.**_

Chills ran down her spine, and she yelped and shot upright in her chair, nearly toppling over from the sudden shift in posture. Her hands lunged forward and she caught the edges of the table, pulling herself back into position.

The three kids turn their heads to her, startled by the sudden commotion. "Big sis Yuzu?" Ayu said. "Are you all right?"

"Y-yeah," Yuzu lied, plastering a smile onto her face. She rubbed her wrist then shook it around jokingly, pretending it was made of rubber. "See, I'm fine."

None of them laughed, Yuzu included.

At that moment the door knob turned. Yuzu and the kids perked up, whipping around in their chairs. They half expected Yuya to burst through the doorframe, smiling and waving and making them laugh like he always did. They wanted it. They didn't realize how badly they longed for it to be a reality until the door handle twisted all the way to one side and Gongenzaka appeared on the opposite side of the door, his eyes oscillating between the faces of his friends like a swinging pendulum.

He sighed, and the noise sounded taut and exasperated at once. "So Yuya isn't here today, either," he said, more a statement than the question he'd intended.

Yuzu shook her head. "No, and he also wasn't at school earlier. I'm starting to worry about him."

Gongenzaka leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms over his chest. "Yeah, so am I," he said. "He hasn't shown his face since Saturday."

They could hear the blaring of a car horn from outside the building's entrance, but other than that, nothing. You Show Duel School and its students were as silent as mausoleums. For once, no one had anything to say.

Then Futoshi spoke up. He had been meaning to bring something up since Saturday. "Uhh…When big bro Yuya was dueling, he looked kind of scary, didn't he? After that Reiji guy showed his Pendulum Cards, I mean. It gave me shivers, and not the good kind. What was that all about, anyway?"

The others had willfully erased the feral image of Yuya from their collective consciousness, but hearing it now reminded them of the discomfort that they had experienced during certain parts of the duel. "Eradicate Akaba Reiji," Yuya had said. The word hung unspoken in the air, as though penned in invisible ink – _eradicate._

"Why did he look like that?" Futoshi added, looking into the faces of his friends, searching for the answers he now knew wouldn't come.

A sudden cold descended upon the room, and Yuzu shuddered. A flash of memory depicted Yuya wearing the same expression during his duel against Sawatari, and she banished the thought with a shake of her head. She rubbed her arm for warmth and said, "Should we try calling his house again?"

"No," Gongenzaka said. "I tried that before I came here. No one answered."

Tatsuya suddenly hit his palm with a fist. "What about going over to big bro Yuya's house, then?" he suggested. "If we all go together, he'll have to answer the door, right?"

"That's right!" Futoshi and Ayu said, nodding their approval. "He'll answer for sure!"

"No, that's not necessarily the case," said Gongenzaka. "If he hasn't bothered to respond to our phone calls, I'm not sure he'll let us into his house so easily."

What little hope that had entered the room alongside Tatsuya's proposal quickly seeped out through the open door. "Oh, I guess that's right," Tatsuya said, and he and the other two children looked at the floor.

"There has to be something we can do," Yuzu said, more to herself than to the group at large. In her mind, she could see Yuya laying under his bed covers, letting the days pass him by, in the exact same manner as he'd done after Yusho's absence. And even if they did convince Yoko to let them inside the house, Yuzu was afraid of finding Yuya this way, isolated and self-entombed in his room. "Yuya."

Another bout of silence plagued the five of them. Gongenzaka closed his eyes and took a calming breath. The others sat with their elbows propped on their desks, chins in their palms. The lights droned and flickered above their heads.

Ayu heaved a sigh. "Jeez, this is all that Reiji guy's fault. If he hadn't used those cheap Pendulum Cards, big brother Yuya would have won for sure."

"Yeah," Futoshi said, groaning and stretching and scratching the back of his head. "If those two had a rematch, there's no way big bro Yuya would lose. He'd see those fake Pendulum Cards coming from a mile away!"

Something clicked inside Yuzu's mind, something that Futoshi had said resonated within her. "A rematch?" she repeated, eyes growing wider with each syllable.

Futoshi shifted around in his chair to look at her. "Eh? Big sis Yuzu?"

How had she missed it? Futoshi was absolutely correct. A smile crept onto Yuzu's face, showing all of her white teeth.

"That's it! A rematch!" she said again. Revitalized, she jumped up from her seat and turned towards the door, grabbing her deck and Duel Disk from the chair beside her.

As she did, Shuzo came to the door, dropping his phone into his pocket. He greeted Gongenzaka, then turned to the others and apologized for taking so long. "An old friend called me to check up on something," he said. Then he chuckled, unprompted, likely at something he'd remembered. He said, "Also, I called Dennis and it seems that he's busy and can't make it today. Well, so much for the Xyz Summoning training, I guess. But that aside…"

Yuzu raced forward, sliding past Gongenzaka and her father. She would explain to him later why she'd been in such a hurry and what she had to do. Right before slipping out of the entrance doors, she called over her shoulder, "I'll be back, Dad! Start the lesson without me!"

"Oi, Yuzu!" Shuzo shouted, holding out his hand. "Where are you going? Yuzu!" But she had already passed the doors.

Gongenzaka placed a hand on Shuzo's shoulder. "Don't worry, Principal," he said. "I'll make sure she's all right."

"Gongenzaka," said Shuzo. He would have liked to go after his daughter himself, but he couldn't leave the three children here alone. He nodded, saying, "Thank you, Gongenzaka. I'll leave the rest to you."

Gongenzaka returned the nod before sprinting in the direction Yuzu had gone. Then he, too, pushed beyond the doors, and in his wake You Show Duel School once again fell silent.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

When Gongenzaka finally caught up to Yuzu, he couldn't believe where she'd led them. They stood on the concrete sidewalk. Gongenzaka clutched his knees and gasped for air while Yuzu looked at the building in front of them.

"Yuzu," he said, panting. He'd never realized that she could run as fast as she did. "This place is…"

"That's right," Yuzu said, and turned to face him. "LDS."

The two of them stared up at the building in unison. From their place on the ground it looked to them as though the top of the LDS building was nestled in the clouds, like a gift that heaven had left for Maiami City.

"You can't mean–"

"Akaba Reiji is in there," Yuzu said. She beckoned to the building with a tilt of her head. "If we can go in there and talk to him and convince him to have a rematch with Yuya, everything will go back to normal." She made her fingers into pincers and said, "Yuya came _that_ close to winning last time. I'm sure he can win if he gets another chance."

Having caught his breath, Gongenzaka stood up. He looked down, meeting Yuzu's gaze. "You really think it's going to be that easy? Akaba Reiji is the CEO of this place, after all. I don't think it'll be that simple to talk to him."

Yuzu hair moved from side to side in rhythm with her head shakes. "No, I don't think it'll be easy at all," she confessed. "But I can't think of another way – a better way – to help Yuya. I," she began, and her voice almost disappeared under the sounds of city life. "I just don't want to see Yuya look like that ever again."

Whether she had been referring to Yuya after his father had disappeared or the scary look that Futoshi had been talking about earlier, Gongenzaka didn't bother to ask. Either way, he agreed with her on that, but not on her methods.

"I don't like the idea of being caught," he said. "And besides, intruding in a place like this is unforgivable."

"Despite it being a private school, I've heard this place has a generous acceptance rate," she said. "That means that there will be students all over the place. If that's the case, we'll be sure to blend in."

"Even if you say that, I'm still not in favor of this plan," he said, and turned from her to the school and back to her. "There are too many negative factors, too many things that could go wrong."

But as he looked into her eyes, he could already see the passion and the fire behind them, emotions rarer in Yuzu than in most. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her truly stanch about something.

He sighed, his excuses exhausted. When Yuzu wanted something bad enough, no one could stop her from getting it. "There's really nothing I can say to make you change your mind, is there?" he said.

"Nope," Yuzu said, and a small smile poked out of hiding.

Gongenzaka groaned. "Unforgivable," he said to himself, and the two made their way inside, past the automatic sliding doors.

They had always imagined that LDS looked like this – with giant televisions and hologram projectors in the middle of the lobby, an exclusive card shop in the corner of the room, what appeared to be a food court down one of the halls – the antithesis of You Show's destitution.

"Amazing." Yuzu meant to think the word but it escaped her lips. She composed a mental image of You Show and compared it to this place but quickly found the activity meaningless. You Show had nothing that this place didn't already have.

She remembered telling Yuya that maybe they could have gone to LDS had Shuzo not been the principal of You Show. Now she longed for it again, a new destiny, a new duel school. Envy wrapped around her heart like a vice, and she had to remind herself why they had come in the first place before she could continue.

They took tentative steps forward, as if walking on a floor composed of quicksand. True to Yuzu's prediction, students crammed the building, making it difficult to walk very far at any one time before being pushed and shoved around. She and Gongenzaka had to brush up against each other to go anywhere, arm to arm.

Eventually, after being thrashed and thrust, the throng of bodies spat the duo out in a hallway on the other side of the lobby, near a few classrooms, a flight of stairs, and an elevator. An occasional student passed by them, too fixated on their Duel Disk to notice them. This came as a relief to Gongenzaka and Yuzu, who noticed that all of the students in this place wore LDS pins, something they sorely lacked.

"We actually made it," Gongenzaka said, incredulous.

"Where to now?" Yuzu said, looking around.

"The CEO is the most important position in a corporation," he said. "My guess is that Akaba Reiji is highest floor up."

This seemed logical enough for Yuzu, and she thumbed the up button on the elevator and they waited for the elevator doors to open. After about fifteen seconds of waiting, Yuzu decided to wander around, within the limits of the hallway. She peered inside a few classroom windows, remarking the high-tech equipment. She checked the staircase, which was made of solid marble – a tacky choice, she thought, and not very practical.

She noticed a poster hanging from the wall – or, rather, she noticed the odd combination of colors on the poster, orange and green. She thought Gongenzaka might want something to entertain himself while waiting for the elevator, so she read the poster aloud: "LDS is proud to present the newest and greatest evolution of Dueling. Alongside the rigorous curriculum that students already have access to, in Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz, within the next two weeks we plan to integrate a new course into our school's program. Its name is..."

Then she stopped, her face blanching as she read the final word.

"No way…"

"Yuzu?" Gongenzaka turned to her, just in time to see her collapse to her knees. "Hey! What's wrong, Yuzu?"

Her finger trembled as she directed his attention to the poster. He went over and read it and when he got to where Yuzu had stopped, he screamed, "Pendulum Course?"

The elevator dinged and the doors whirred open. From it stepped a girl with a dark skin tone. A beautiful waterfall of black hair fell from her head to her shoulders, and she flipped a lock behind her ear with one hand. She wore a blue undershirt and shorts, and on top of that was a blue over shirt with an LDS badge pinned to it. Her eyes, the same red as Gongenzaka's headband, fell upon Yuzu's kneeling body.

"What? Do you two need help?" she asked.

They turned around to face the girl, looking like guilty deer caught in headlights. At this, her eyes constricted as she scanned every inch of their clothes. Yuzu and Gongenzaka looked at each other; they knew full well what this girl was searching for.

"I've never seen the two of you in this building before," she said. Then, confirming their suspicions, she asked, "Where are your LDS badges?"

Yuzu began to speak but lost her voice. She tried again and thankfully managed to say something more. "Our badges are…"

"Are?" the girl said, taking a step toward them.

Then Gongenzaka dropped to his hands and knees, prostrating himself before the raven-haired girl. "Please hear us out," he said. "We're not from this school. My name is Gongenzaka Noboru of Gongenzaka Dojo."

Yuzu blinked twice, glancing from Gongenzaka to the girl. "A-and my name is Yuzu," she said. "Hiragi Yuzu of You Show Duel School. Please, we're here to speak with the CEO of LDS, Akaba Reiji. Do you know where we can find him?"

"As I thought, you two really are from rival duel schools," the girl said. "Well, I've never heard of either of those places before, but you should know by now that trespassing in a private school is forbidden."

"Please," Yuzu repeated as Gongenzaka picked himself back up, "we're just here to ask for a favor. It's for our friend. There's something we want to do for him."

"Let me guess," the girl said. "Your friend is from a rival duel school, too?"

Neither of them said anything, and the girl had her answer. She continued, "I've heard you out. That was the deal, wasn't it?" Then she smirked. "Though I do wonder what will happen to the two of you once I tell the LDS administration sector that two intruders were here. Especially since you've already given me your names and schools."

Gongenzaka and Yuzu looked at each other, panic swimming in the pools of their eyes. Yuzu took a step forward, ready to explain. "Hold on…"

"Oi, Masumi!" came a voice from the right of them. Yuzu and Gongenzaka heard something clinking on the staircase and within a few seconds saw produced the noise. A short boy with long brown hair appeared from behind the wall. The red collar of his jacket was turned up, displaying an LDS badge. They carried a wooden katana in one hand and it clinked against the floor as he took a spot next to the girl – Masumi. "What's up?"

"Yaiba," Masumi said. Then she turned back to Yuzu and Gongenzaka. "I just caught these two people from rival duel schools trying to sneak into this place."

"What?" Yuya said.

"Sneak in?" Gongenzaka said. In the cramped space of the hallway his voice boomed and echoed against the walls, and the boy – Yaiba – dropped his katana and covered his ears. "Unforgivable!"

"Oi! Now look what you made me down," Yaiba snapped, bending down to retrieve his weapon and peeling off the fresh piece of chewed bubblegum that now stuck to it.

"Please wait," Yuzu said, holding her hands out to prove that they were empty. She told Yaiba their names and their duel schools. Then she said, "We don't want any trouble. We weren't trying to sneak in or anything. We just wanted–"

"You just happened to make it this far into the building but you weren't trying to sneak in? Do you really think we're that dumb?" said Yaiba, flicking the blue bubblegum onto the staircase. "We're LDS, after all. We aren't going to fall for such a blatant lie like that."

"It's not a lie!" Gongenzaka said, voice echoing again.

"Oi, stop shouting, you bastard!" Ironically, Yaiba shouted while he issued this request.

"Please!" Yuzu said again.

"That's enough," Masumi said, and the tone of her voice was enough to silence the three of them. They looked at her and she continued, "It's obvious that these two won't leave until they've achieved whatever goal that they've come here to accomplish. Likewise, it's obvious that we won't allow trespassers into our school."

She reached behind her back and produced a folded Duel Disk. She placed it on her arm and a clamp extended from the machine, wrapping around her wrist. "Not without a fight, that is," she added.

Yaiba smirked. "Interesting," he said, retrieving his own Duel Disk. "I like the way you think, Masumi!"

"Wait a minute, we don't want to duel you!" Yuzu protested. She was beginning to think that this wasn't such a good plan after all. "If it's come to all this trouble, we'll just leave."

Masumi glared at the two of them. "If you both leave now, I'll tell the administration sector that you were here."

"What?" Gongenzaka said. "That's not fair!"

"You two were the ones to come here first," Masumi replied. "You broke the rules. And anyway, this gives you both a fair chance. If you walk away here, I'll definitely reveal your location. But if you manage to defeat us, we'll let this incident slide without saying a word."

"Of course," said Yaiba, "if you lose, we'll tell them, too. So, are you going to take the definite punishment or are you going to try to fight your way out?"

Yuzu and Gongenzaka grimaced, racking their brains for other options. None appeared.

"I accept your challenge," Gongenzaka said, stepping forward.

"Gongenzaka!" Yuzu said.

"What they're doing is unforgivable, but we don't have any other choice. If they're going to come at us like that, I will stick to what I believe in and fight for myself. That's the way a man should be."

"Heh," Yaiba said, pointing to Gongenzaka. "Oi, Masumi, you can have the other one. The big guy's mine." And with that, Yaiba led Gongenzaka up the stairs to the second-floor duel rooms.

"Have you made your choice?" Masumi said after a minute.

"Yes, I've decided," Yuzu said, sliding her hands behind her back. "I won't act with hesitation any longer. Masumi, I'll duel you!"

She grabbed her Duel Disk and attached it to her wrist.

Masumi then led Yuzu up to one of the duel rooms. It appeared that this one had been in use recently, as an Action Field was still active. Yuzu recognized it as the Crystal Corridor field, a beautiful, palatial passageway with floating crystal platforms, a pink carpet, stained-glass windows, and gems sparkling all over the walls.

In the room on the opposite side of the hall, the Action Field resembled the exact opposite of this beauty, selected by Yaiba himself. Gongenzaka had played on it once before, Sword's Graveyard, a barren wasteland overrun by skulls, dry grass, and broken swords.

 _No stopping it now,_ Gongenzaka thought, taking in his surroundings. _Good luck, Yuzu._

"Before we start," Yaiba said, "I should tell you something. In the LDS Synchro Course, I'm the top duelist, number one. Me, Toudou Yaiba!" He gave an arrogant grin. "So, do you still wanna do this?"

"Of course," Gongenzaka said. "A man never runs away or surrenders without a fight."

"Tch, you've got some guts, I'll give you that," Yaiba said. "But it's going to take more than that against me."

Masumi was giving a similar spiel in the opposite room. "Before we go any further, you should know that I'm the top duelist in the LDS Fusion Course. Knowing that, do you still wish to continue this duel?"

"Top duelist?" Yuzu said nervously. _This girl is the top of her class?_ She looked at her deck. _Still, Yuya needs me. As long as I have a reason to fight, I won't give up._

"Well?" Masumi said.

"I admit that's impressive," Yuzu said, "but I'm fighting for my friend, and I would be letting him down if I gave up now. Even if I can't Fusion Summon, I'll still fight you with all I've got!"

Masumi brushed another lock of hair behind her ear. "Very well."

"Duelists locked in battle!" Gongenzaka said

"Kicking against the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters!" Yaiba added.

"They storm through this field!" Masumi continued.

"Behold! This is the newest and greatest evolution in Dueling!" Yuzu finished.

"Action," they shouted together. When the two balls of Action Cards burst, they concluded. "Duel!"

 **0-0-0-0-0**

As the duelists took the spots, Akaba Reiji sat in his dark control room. Currently, he found himself looking at a screen that contained tens of images, all of the Duel Monsters cards, all of them Pendulums. Some of them were the ones that he'd used against Yuya, some were the ones he'd given to Sawatari, but most were neither. These cards cluttered the largest screen in the dark room, giving Reiji a half-orange, half-green tint.

When Academia came, he would be ready. This whole dimension would be ready, if he had anything to say about it.

He lost his focus when someone from the lower panels, clicking away at their computer, said, "Sir, our servers are noting something unusual in two of the second-floor duel rooms."

"Unusual?" Reiji said. He wondered just what constituted "unusual" for the common person, because he had a feeling that his definition varied.

"The computers have detected in these two rooms the start of a duel, but…But two of the duelists aren't registered in the LDS database. We can't find their Duel Disks or their information anywhere. In other words, they're trespassers."

Reiji's eyes became slits behind his glasses. "Display the visuals from those two rooms immediately."

"Yes, sir!"

Within a few frantic clicks of the keyboard, the two rooms were up. Then he saw the two – Gongenzaka and Yuzu, standing in the middle of their respective Action Fields.

Reiji gazed at the screen, face impassive. His body relaxed, loosened under the weight of the new information. The introductions that Yuya had made on Saturday returned to him. "Oh? Sakaki Yuya's friends have come to pay a visit?"

"What?" Nakajima called from behind Reiji. "What are Sakaki Yuya's friends doing at LDS?" He turned his back to the monitor and started to stomp down the stairs. "I'm going to…"

"No, Nakajima."

Nakajima stopped halfway down the staircase, frozen by Reiji's demand. "President," he said, shamefully walking back up the stairs and retrieving his spot behind Reiji.

"It won't be necessary for you to apprehend the two of them," Reiji said, glancing to the students on screen. "They won't win their duels anyway, not against those opponents.

"However, things just became fascinating. I want to see how these duels play out."

Nakajima nodded, though he knew Reiji couldn't see it. Curiosity got the better of him and he decided to say what was on his mind. "President, why has Sakaki Yuya befriended Serena? What's the benefit of such an alliance?"

Reiji's response was instant. "That's not Serena."

Nakajima's head snapped in Reiji's direction. "What do you mean?"

"The girl you see on the screen is Yuzu. Hiragi Yuzu," said Reiji. "You'll understand more after you've finished watching these duels."

Nakajima and the rest of the control staff remained quiet, eyes focused on the screens.

Reiji leaned forward in his seat, hiding his smile behind his hands. What a relief. It seems that his prey had come to him.

 _Now, Hiragi Yuzu, show me your duel._

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **(Noboru Gongenzaka: 4000 LP/Yaiba Toudou: 4000 LP)**

Gongenzaka took a step forward, his sandals kicking up a cloud of dust around his feet. "The first move is mine."

He selected a card and said, "I summon Superheavy Samurai Magnet from my hand!"

A ring of light appeared on the field, spitting out a dark blue machine. On its back rested a giant red magnet in the shape of a horseshoe. It punched its right and left hands together, which were shaped like bottle caps, and revealed the plus and minus signs engraved into them. (900 ATK)

Gongenzaka plucked another card from his hand. "When this monster is summoned," he said, "I can change it to Defense Position, and then Special Summon another Level Four or lower Superheavy Samurai from my hand. Appear, one more Superheavy Samurai Magnet!"

The first Magnet knelt, throwing its arms out to its left. Then another appeared beside it, arms thrust to the right. A wall of electricity sparked to life between the two monsters. (1600 DEF x 2)

Yaiba grinned a little. "Two monsters on the first turn? Heh, you might actually be a decent opponent after all."

A smile played across Gongenzaka's lips as he gestured to his monsters. "When Superheavy Samurai Magnet is on the field, it is the only monster that my opponent can target for an attack. However, with two Magnets on my field, both of their effects are active, preventing you attacking either one. It's an immovable defense!"

Yaiba rolled his eyes. "Immovable defense?" He said the words as though they were the punchline of a joke. His smile lined the edges of his voice as he said, "We'll just see how immovable it truly is next turn."

Gongenzaka did not deign to react to Yaiba's provocation. "I end my turn."

"Took you long enough," Yaiba said. "It's my turn. Draw!"

He grabbed the leftmost card in his hand. "I activate a Spell Card, Reinforcement of the Army!"

Then he removed his deck from its holster, fanned through the cards. His eyes scanned their names with the meticulousness of a sculptor, until he found the one he wanted.

"With this Spell, I can add a low-Level Warrior-Type monster from my deck to my hand. I add X-Saber Galahad to my hand, and summon it!"

After replacing his deck in his Duel Disk, Yaiba played his new monster. Galahad was a lizard man, wearing stunning gold armor and a belt with an emblazoned X. Though its skin was light green, white paint caked its face and darker green paint lined the eyes. True to its name, the monster carried a yellow saber with a blue gemstone ensconced near the tip. (1800 ATK)

Gongenzaka stared at the monster. "So he's using Warriors, then?" he said. Unfortunately, that was the extent of his knowledge. He had never heard of X-Sabers before and was beginning to worry. Yaiba was an LDS student, after all, and confident enough to challenge him to a duel without a second thought. This guy probably possessed a considerable amount of skill.

But Gongenzaka hadn't come unprepared. He looked at the two Magnets on his field, reassured.

A stray gust of wind carried Yaiba's voice to him: "I won't make it that easy for you."

"What?"

Yaiba slid a card in his Duel Disk. "I activate the Spell Card, Saber Slash! For every Attack-Position X-Saber monster I control, one face-up card on the field is destroyed. Since I control X-Saber Galahad, I destroy one Superheavy Samurai Magnet!"

The gemstone on Galahad's blade brightened and released a blue blast of energy that collided with the first Magnet's chest. The monster toppled over and exploded, and the barrier of electricity dematerialized.

Yaiba punched the air with a fist, knuckles aimed at Gongenzaka. "I attack the remaining Superheavy Samurai Magnet! When attacking, Galahad gains 300 more ATK for that battle!"

X-Saber Galahad's ATK rose to 2100, in time for another gemstone beam to tear through Gongenzaka's monster. As the other Magnet faded, Galahad's ATK returned to its normal 1800.

"Nothing to say now, huh?" Yaiba said. "Where did that big mouth of yours go? Are you too stricken with fear to even speak?"

"A man must not fear anything," replied Gongenzaka. "He must stand firm and resolute, holding on to the values he believes in. It's the same in dueling."

"God, you're annoying," Yaiba snapped, looking back to the cards in his hand. "I set these two cards facedown and end my turn."

Two facedowns briefly appeared behind X-Saber Galahad, then blended into the Action Field.

"Go on and make your move," said Yaiba, tapping his foot. His eyes swept the field with a near imperceptible speed that made Gongenzaka assume that he was searching for Action Cards.

"Here I go. It's my turn," Gongenzaka said, his voice reaching every inch of the room. "Draw!"

He drew his card with such force that gales of dusty wind stirred and blew about the cemetery like the coming of a tornado. A twinkle appeared in his eyes when he turned it over and looked.

"It's here! The embodiment of my Steadfast Duel lies in this very card," he said.

Yaiba made a face. "Are you still on about that Steadfast Dueling crap?"

"The deck that I believe in won't let me down," Gongenzaka said. "That is one of the core principles of Steadfast Dueling. And now I'll show you what that really means."

He slapped a card on his Duel Disk. "When I have no Spell or Trap Cards in my Graveyard, I can Special Summon this card from my hand. Appear, Superheavy Samurai Big Waraji!"

Gongenzaka's new monster bore the shape of a sandal. Its sole-like body was colored gold, its strap-like shoulders and limbs a forest green. Spikes sat in place of fingers and toes. (800 ATK)

Yaiba squinted at his opponent. "No Spell or Trap Cards in the Graveyard? What kind of crazy activation condition is that?"

"That is the duel I believe in," Gongenzaka said. "That is the duel that Gongenzaka Dojo taught me: to remain steadfast and fight alongside one's monsters. For that reason, to achieve that ideal, the activation condition was easy to achieve, because I run no Spell or Trap Cards!"

Yaiba opened his mouth to speak. A small grunting noise escaped but no words.

Gongenzaka threw one palm skyward. "When being used for an Advance Summon, Big Waraji counts as two monsters!"

Big Waraji clicked and whirred as its body split in two. A green light passed through the middle of the monster, shooting upward to the heavens.

"Immovable like the mountains, I will show you the true strength of my Steadfast Dueling. Come forth! Level 8, Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei!"

From the blistering green light emerged the massive warlord, garbed in rectangular orange shields resting above a black bodysuit. The metal apparatus on its back purred like a starting car engine. It tightened its grip on its weapon, turning its head to meet the enemy. (1000 ATK)

At this, Yaiba couldn't contain himself. He laughed until his sides hurt, then clutched them and bowed his head. Gongenzaka waited awhile for Yaiba, who eventually said, "You mean that after all that preaching about your special dueling, this is your ace? A monster with 1000 ATK?"

"Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei, when successfully summoned, can change its battle position."

Big Benkei gripped the weapon in both hands as though anticipating battle. (3500 DEF)

Yaiba clicked the roof of his mouth with his tongue. His laughter subsided. "A defending power of 3500, huh?" he said. "Not bad, I guess. But you can't even attack me now. You're just preventing yourself from winning like that."

"No," Gongenzaka said. "It's fine like this. Ben Benkei and I will win without moving."

"Huh?"

Gongenzaka inserted the penultimate card in his hand into his Duel Disk. "I equip Superheavy Samurai Soulhorns to Big Benkei!"

Big Benkei's apparatus detached as a monster descended, equipping itself in the vacant spot. Blue bull horns jutted from the Benkei's back. White over-armor melded with its black bodysuit.

"Equipping monsters like Spells?" Yaiba said under his breath.

"Soulhorns can be equipped from my hand to a Superheavy Samurai monster. That monster is then able to attack twice during the Battle Phase!"

"Huh?" Yaiba repeated, with no less confusion than before. "You went out of your way to equip a monster with an effect like that to a monster that you just put in Defense Position?"

 _With Soulhorns equipped, I can attack twice. If these two attacks are successful,_ Gongenzaka thought, _I can win. I'll put everything I can into this!_

"Battle Phase! I attack X-Saber Galahad with Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei!"

"What the hell? Attacking while in Defense Position?"

The corners of Gongenzaka's mouth quirked up. "Big Benkei allows Superheavy Samurais to attack while in Defense Position, and their DEF scores are applied during damage calculation!"

Big Benkei punched the ground, letting loose a tidal wave of ash and flame. The barrage came straight for Galahad, who dropped its weapon and cowered. (1800 – 1300 ATK)

"Tch. During a battle in which X-Saber Galahad is attacked," said Yaiba, "it loses 500 ATK."

The flames incinerated the defenseless X-Saber, and the aftershock pushed Yaiba back a couple feet. Wisps of smoke lifted from his jacket like lingering ghosts.

 **(Gongenzaka: 4000 LP/Yaiba: 1800 LP)**

"All right," Gongenzaka said. He beat his chest with a fist. "With Soulhorns effect, Big Benkei can launch one more attack. I, the man Gongenzaka, will clinch victory with this attack!"

As the burning outline of X-Saber Galahad began to fade, Yaiba said, "Is that what you think?"

"What?"

Then Gongenzaka went wide-eyed. One of Yaiba's facedowns had been activated. "That card…"

Yaiba wore a sly smile, looking like a fox about to pounce on its unsuspecting prey. "Immediately after Galahad took Big Benkei's attack, during the Damage Step, I activated my Saber Reflection Quick-Play Spell, which does three things, if I control an X-Saber monster."

Gongenzaka preemptively dug his feet into the ground. He had a bad feeling about the card.

Yaiba held up three fingers, dropping them responsively as he explained. "First, Saber Reflection increases my Life Points by the amount of damage that I took from that battle. Second, my opponent is dealt that amount of damage instead!"

Gongenzaka was thankful for having readied himself, because no sooner had Yaiba finished speaking a bomb of solid blue plasma from the Spell smacked his chest. Grunting and digging his feet deeper into the ground, he managed to stay grounded, though his body feverishly ached.

At the same time, a ray of blue light washed over Yaiba, healing his scrapes and lacerations.

 **(Gongenzaka: 1800 LP/Yaiba: 4000 LP)**

"Lastly, Saber Reflection lets me add a Spell or Trap with Saber or Gottoms in its name to my hand," and Yaiba took the card that popped out of his deck as Galahad disappeared for good.

"Even so," Gongenzaka said, fighting through the nagging pain, "the equipped Soulhorns still allows my monster to attack again. Go, Big Benkei!"

Big Benkei slammed the ground again, sending forth another rush of flames. This time, however, with no monster to protect him, Yaiba was forced to take the attack head-on. He crossed his arms over his chest, shielding himself from some of the impact, but eventually the attack proved too much. Yaiba lost his footing and flew back, landing unceremoniously on his side, ten feet away.

 **(Gongenzaka: 1800 LP/Yaiba: 500 LP)**

Gongenzaka waited until Yaiba picked himself back up to say, "I end my turn."

Yaiba grit his teeth. "Now you've gone and done it," he said, glaring. "I'll admit you aren't a half bad duelist. But that just means I have no compunction about going all out against you!"

He raised his Duel Disk to meet his face and said, "My turn, draw!"

He looked at his draw. The anger on his face eroded, overridden by complacency.

"Here I come! I summon XX-Saber Boggart Knight from my hand!"

The monster resembled a half-gremlin, half-troll. With muscled skin tinted dark brown and a red cape flowing behind it, the monster posed. Even in the darkness of the Action Field, the silver armor on its spiked head, torso, and legs glinted. It carried a rapier in its right hand. (1900 ATK)

"When Boggart Knight's summoned, I can Special Summon another low-Level X-Saber monster from my hand. I Special Summon the Level Three Tuner Monster, XX-Saber Fulhelmknight!"

A woman jumped onto the field, wearing the same cape as Boggart Knight. She sported orange armor and had long blonde hair that reached the small of her back. In one hand she spun a sword that broke apart and extended into a chain whip. Her shield had an X on its center. (1300 ATK)

"Tuner Monster." Gongenzaka stared hard at Fulhelmknight. "I see. So that's how he's going to come at me."

"It's too early to be surprised," Yaiba said, revealing another monster in his hand. "When I control at least two X-Saber monsters, I can Special Summon this guy from my hand. Come, XX-Saber Faultroll!"

This time the X insignia appeared inside a blue stone in the middle of the monster's body. The monster itself possessed two bionic arms, red armor guarding its body and legs, and the largest blade that Gongenzaka had ever seen resting in its hands. A single-eye visor covered its upper face. (2400 ATK)

Gongenzaka gawked at Yaiba. "Three monsters at once? Was he not playing seriously before?"

"Heh, I'll give you a taste of the true power of the LDS Synchro Course's ace duelist!" Yaiba threw his hand over his head and said, "I tune the Level 4 XX-Saber Boggart Knight with the Level 3 XX-Saber Fulhelmknight!"

Fulhelmknight, like the whip in its hand, spun around in a dizzying circle, collapsing on itself and transforming into three blips of light. The blips expanded into rings, which encircled XX-Saber Boggart Knight. Its body became a gold illusion within in the rings, devolving into four specks of light that gave way to a blinding green pillar.

"Wielder of crossed blades of light, trample over this mountain of corpses!"

Two quick slashes, one after the other, burnt the impression of an orange X into the air. The monster responsible for this, a muscular male, marched onto the field, wielding its guilty swords in both hands. The monster looked rather experienced, with a tattered red cape and various X-shaped scars running along his arms and forehead. Ripped bandages fluttered from his hands. He laughed an ugly laugh, crossing his swords in a crooked X above his head. (2500 ATK)

"Synchro Summon! Come forth! Level 7, X-Saber Souza!"

 _So this guy really is a Synchro user,_ Gongenzaka thought, turning to Souza. _But that monster is still weaker than Big Benkei._

"That's too naïve," Yaiba said, once again gauging Gongenzaka's intent. "'His monster isn't strong enough to defeat mine. I can make it through this turn unscathed.' That's what you were just thinking, right?"

Gongenzaka remained silent.

Yaiba smirked. "I wonder how long you can keep that carefree attitude," he said.

He pointed to Faultroll. "I activate XX-Saber Faultroll's monster effect! Once per turn, I can Special Summon a Level Four or lower X-Saber monster from my Graveyard. Return to us, XX-Saber Fulhelmknight!"

The blonde X-Saber reappeared, twirling her chain whip with a twisted grin. (1300 ATK)

"At this moment, I activate X-Saber Souza's monster effect!" Yaiba returned Fulhelmknight to his Graveyard. "By sacrificing Fulhelmknight, Souza gains an additional effect this turn."

A red aura soaked Souza's body, turning the warrior the same color as its cape.

"Battle Phase!" Yaiba made a gun with his thumb and index finger, firing it at Gongenzaka's monster. "X-Saber Souza, attack that Big Benkei!"

Like a painting, puzzlement etched itself onto every available inch of the canvas that was Gongenzaka's face.

This confusion was not lost on Yaiba, who said, "On the turn that it releases an X-Saber monster for its effect, Souza will, at the start of the Damage Step, instantly destroy its attack target!"

With a forward thrust of its body, Souza took off, gliding over to Gongenzaka's side of the field.

Gongenzaka glanced at his Duel Disk monitor: 1800 Life Points remaining. With the oncoming two attacks, Yaiba would end the duel. The choice, it seemed, had already been made for him.

"I activate Superheavy Samurai Soulfire Suit's monster effect!"

"Eh?" Yaiba's brows knit together. He tried to recall Gongenzaka using a card by that name earlier, but it didn't ring any bells. "Soulfire Suit?"

Gongenzaka turned the last card in his hand around, showing Yaiba its fiery artwork. "Soulfire Suit's effect activates in my hand. By sending it to the Graveyard, Big Benkei, for the remainder of the turn, loses 800 DEF but cannot be destroyed!"

A flaming bubble surrounded Big Benkei's massive body. (3500 – 2700 DEF)

Souza swung one of its swords at Big Benkei, striking the flaming bubble instead. He dug his sword in deeper, but Big Benkei swatted him away, causing the tip of his blade to chip.

"And because Souza didn't destroy Big Benkei at the start of the Damage Step," Gongenzaka said, with a grin, "its attack continues like normal, which means you take the residual damage!"

Big Benkei took a swing at the X-Saber, punching it in the gut. Souza flew back to Yaiba's field, dropping to one knee and panting like a dog.

 **(Gongenzaka: 1800 LP/Yaiba: 300 LP)**

Yaiba huffed, accepting the backlash damage. He flipped over the card in his hand. "Once more, I activate the Saber Reflection Quick-Play Spell!"

 _I see_ , Gongenzaka thought. _He searched another Saber Reflection with the first one's effect._

"Oi, you remember this card, don't you?" taunted Yaiba, pointing to his now-active Spell Card.

Gongenzaka said the words as though they were something that he had learned and memorized by rote in his childhood. "You regain the 200 Life Points you lost and I receive 200 them as damage, and you can search for another Saber or Gottoms card from your deck."

Genuinely impressed, Yaiba smiled. "Yep, that's it exactly," he said, and a card protruded from his Duel Disk as their Life Points flip-flopped again.

 **(Gongenzaka: 1600 LP/Yaiba: 500 LP)**

Gongenzaka looked past Faultroll to Yaiba's searched card. He braced himself without thinking.

"Calm down," said Yaiba, catching the movement in his peripheral vision. "I can only play one Saber Reflection per turn, so even if I searched another one, I can't use it this turn. You're safe."

He played the card he'd searched. It appeared beside his other facedown card.

"For now, anyway," he added. "I set one card and end my turn."

Gongenzaka needed a moment to steady his resolve. After taking a deep breath, he reached for his deck. "My turn," he called out. "Draw!"

He looked to the card, then back to Big Benkei, and finally to Yaiba's two facedowns.

 _If I attack either monster with Big Benkei,_ he thought, _it'll be enough to win the duel. And even if he negates one attack, with Superheavy Samurai Soulhorns still equipped_ , _I can attack again._

He couldn't keep his eyes off the facedown cards.

 _Still, those facedowns are troubling. Is he baiting me to attack? Does he have a trap planned?_

Gongenzaka shook his head. Worrying would do no good, he knew. This was his only chance at a counterattack. If it was for Yuya's sake, he would do what he could to seize victory.

"Battle! I attack X-Saber Souza with Big Benkei!"

Gongenzaka knew he'd made the right choice, because Yaiba took off running after the attack's declaration. _Just as I suspected,_ he thought, unmoving as Yaiba jumped around the Action Field like a frightened grasshopper. _Those two set cards are bluffs._

Big Benkei raised its forked weapon and hurled it at the still-kneeling Souza. A spiral of wind trailed behind the speeding attack like a serpent's tail.

In the interim Yaiba had found an Action Card nestled between a rusted katana and a worn wakizashi. He arced his body leftward, turning on a dime and snatching the card from its spot.

"Action Magic, Flight! This card increases the attack target's strength by 600!"

Souza's twin swords filled with a blue aura. (2500 – 3100 ATK)

"Big Benkei is still stronger!" said Gongenzaka.

Sure enough, Big Benkei's tuning fork pierced through Souza's chest and went out his back. Yaiba received a small smack from the attack as Big Benkei's weapon boomeranged back to it.

 **(Gongenzaka: 1600 LP/Yaiba: 100 LP)**

"Lucky for me that Action Card was there," said the LDS duelist, wiping dirt from his forehead. When he grinned, one of his sharp canine teeth fell over his upper lip. "Of course, moments like these are the real charm of Action Duels. Do you see what you're missing when you only confine your deck only to monsters?"

Gongenzaka said, "I have faith in both this deck and the principles of Steadfast Dueling. I need no other trifles. I will hold steadfast to my values, even in an Action Duel."

"Tsk, you won't ever evolve if you keep thinking like that," said Yaiba. "That stubborn resolve of yours that you cling to, that false feeling of commitment to some outdated mode of dueling, it won't work as easily as you believe. You can't win if you're stuck on one path alone."

"You have the right to say that only after this duel's been decided!" Gongenzaka gestured to Souza. "With Soulhorns effect, Big Benkei can attack again. Go, Big Benkei, attack that–"

"Trap, activate! Gottoms' Emergency Call!"

Yaiba clicked a button on his Duel Disk. The facedown he had set the turn before lifted.

"This card, if I control an X-Saber monster, can be used to Special Summon two X-Saber monsters from the Graveyard. Return to us, X-Saber Souza, XX-Saber Fulhelmknight!"

The swordsman and the blonde leapt from the Trap Card. (2500 and 1300 ATK, respectively)

Gongenzaka shook off his confusion again. He didn't know Yaiba's motive for summoning the monsters, whether it was a form of surrender for the LDS boy or if there was something more to it, but it didn't matter.

He continued from where he'd left off. "Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei, attack Souza again!"

Another surge of flames traveled toward Souza. When the conflagration was but a few feet away, XX-Saber Fulhelmknight jumped in front of the Synchro Monster, swinging her whip around with enough strength to extinguish the fires. Paper-thin tendrils of smoke were all that remained.

"How?" Gongenzaka asked. He had a hard time getting through the simple word.

"Just once while it's on the field," Yaiba answered, "XX-Saber Fulhelmknight can negate the attack of an opposing monster."

Gongenzaka didn't say anything for some time. He looked at the Effect Monster in his hand.

"Once per turn, the Superheavy Samurai Soulhorns equipped to Big Benkei can unequip and Special Summon itself in Defense Position."

Soulhorns popped off Big Benkei's back like a bottle top, landing beside it. (300 DEF)

"Then I summon Superheavy Samurai General Coral from my hand!"

A sleek monster appeared beside Soulhorns. It wore spiked red armor with golden edges around the waist, chest, knees, and right bicep. In its left hand it carried a jagged battleax. (300 ATK)

"Because I have no Spell or Trap Cards in my Graveyard," continued Gongenzaka, "I activate General Coral's effect to release up to two Superheavy Samurai monsters and draw that many cards. I send Superheavy Samurais Soulhorns and General Coral itself to the Graveyard!"

The two lesser monsters disappeared in a whirlwind. Gongenzaka made two draws. He grinned.

"From my hand I equip Superheavy Samurai Soulbeads to Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei!"

A necklace of maroon beads held together by a green orb fell into Big Benkei's empty hand.

"Soulbeads, once per turn, prevents the equipped Big Benkei from being destroyed by card effects. Like this, X-Saber Souza's effect is sealed!"

Yaiba sneered. "Hmph, I wonder about that."

Gongenzaka stared at his final card, a monster named Superheavy Samurai Soulbuster Gauntlet.

 _All right,_ he thought. _My defense is complete. With Soulbeads, Big Benkei can survive Souza's effect. And if he tries to power up his monsters and overcome it with a full on attack, Soulbuster Gauntlet can double Big Benkei's DEF when it battles._

"I end my turn with this," he said, almost unable to conceal his eagerness.

Yaiba drew his card, then signaled to his monsters with a nod of his head.

"I use XX-Saber Faultroll's effect to Special Summon X-Saber Galahad from my Graveyard!"

The lizard man reappeared. (1800 ATK)

Then Yaiba's expression changed, softening. "You're not LDS, but I'll use it against you anyway. You've earned that much. So prepare yourself for my ace monster!

"I tune the Level 6 XX-Saber Faultroll with the Level 3 XX-Saber Fulhelmknight!"

Fulhelmknight spun in another circle, its body creating three green dots that became rings around the larger XX-Saber. Faultroll turned gold before a pillar of light flared.

"Let your silver armor shine and crush the hope of everything that opposes you!"

Yaiba's new monster lumbered over everything. Studded silver metal spikes lined its gauntlets and boots. Its cape, a darker red than the others, flapped behind it. Its body was hidden behind the black shadows its armor made, even in spite of the blue cords of light that met at the glowing golden double-X stone in the middle of its body. Its silver helmet had gold wings on either side. In its right hand rested a massive two-pronged sword, larger than the monster itself. (3100 ATK)

"Synchro Summon! Come forth! Level 9, XX-Saber Gottoms!"

Before Gongenzaka could say anything, Yaiba said, "I activate X-Saber Gottoms' effect by releasing X-Saber Galahad!"

"What is this?" Gongenzaka pondered this as Galahad bowed and dissolved into motes of light.

"By sacrificing one X-Saber, I can discard a random card in my opponent's hand. Of course, since you only have one, that's my target!"

Gottoms aimed its sword at Gongenzaka and fired a blast of purple energy. It hit Soulbuster Gauntlet, and Gongenzaka reluctantly discarded the card.

"That should prevent you from using any more tricks like that Soulfire Suit."

Yaiba then showed Gongenzaka the card he'd drawn, an unsettlingly familiar Spell Card.

"I activate the Saber Slash from my hand! Because I control X-Saber Souza and XX-Saber Gottoms, I can destroy your Superheavy Samurais Big Benkei and Soulbeads!"

"That's useless!" Gongenzaka threw an arm to the side. "Soulbeads' monster effect prevents Big Benkei from card effect destruction once, even if they're being destroyed at the same time."

"Soulbeads is still destroyed." Yaiba said the words like they were a fitting consolation prize.

Two quick slashes shot from Saber Slash, but it was only the maroon necklace that disappeared.

Yaiba looked pleased with this turn of events, grinning wide. "Time to finish this."

Gongenzaka tensed upon hearing these words. "What did you say?"

"You haven't forgotten Souza's effect already, have you?"

"No, but you only have it and XX-Saber Gottoms on your field. If you want to activate Souza's effect, you have to sacrifice another X-Saber, and if you choose Gottoms–"

"That's right," Yaiba interrupted. "Souza requires a tribute for its effect. So that's why…"

He clicked a button on his Duel Disk, revealing the card that he'd set on his first turn. Just as Gongenzaka had assumed, it had been a bluff.

"I activate The Warrior Returning Alive! Its effect lets me return a Warrior-Type monster from my Graveyard to my hand. The card I choose to return is XX-Saber Fulhelmknight."

The card slid from Yaiba's Graveyard, and he immediately Normal Summoned it. The blonde appeared a fourth time. (1300 ATK)

"I release XX-Saber Fulhelmknight for Souza's effect."

And for a fourth time she disappeared.

"Time to get rid of that eyesore! Souza, attack Big Benkei!"

Souza stalked forward. With two clean diagonal slashes, it tore an X across Big Benkei's chest. The X sizzled with heat, glowing red, until Big Benkei fell over and exploded.

"One strike remains. XX-Saber Gottoms, direct attack! Smash him to pieces!"

Gottoms grabbed its sword from the resting position on its shoulder and pointed it at Gongenzaka. The two silver blades shone with fierce light, turning a dazzling gold in the darkness of the Action Field. Gottoms gave a war cry before discharging the blast.

Gongenzaka bowed his head, accepting the duel's fate. As he did so, something in his peripheral vision caught his attention.

No more than two feet away, next to a patch of dead grass – an Action Card.

Something was wrong, though – a glitch in the system, he thought. For some reason the Action Card was face-up on the ground. He could see it clearly: Miracle, with the ability to halve the incoming damage. He could survive another turn if he halved Gottoms' damage, even with only 50 Life Points to his name. The duel didn't have to end here.

Gottoms' attack drew closer, burning brighter and lighter than the sun in the sky.

Gongenzaka saw in his mind's eye a two-pan scale that weighed his loyalties. On one side sat his faithfulness to Yuya, for whom they had waged this duel. On the other side sat his devotion to his father's dojo and his beloved Steadfast Dueling. He considered his options until, finally, one scale made an infinitesimal tip upward. This flicker of movement proved enough.

In this way, Gongenzaka made his choice. He remained steadfast, even when the attack hit him, even when he screamed as his body soared fifteen feet back, even when his Life Points hit zero.

 **(Gongenzaka: 0 LP/Yaiba: 100 LP)**

Yaiba grabbed his wooden katana and sprinted across the field, reaching Gongenzaka before he had even finished falling. He wanted to make certain that Gongenzaka wouldn't try to run away or escape. He had already trespassed into the LDS building, so Yaiba wanted to stay one step ahead. There was no telling what tricks someone from a rival duel school had up their sleeve.

As he ran past the spot where Gongenzaka had been standing, he saw it too: the Miracle Action Card, camouflaged in the wasteland. He slowed his pace, threw a look over his shoulder to confirm, and yes, it really had been that card.

Then the Action Field around the two of them disbanded, and the card vanished as Yaiba tried to take a third peek.

No, he trusted his eyes; he knew what he'd seen. _That idiot,_ he thought, looking at Gongenzaka's battered body. _He really passed up an Action Card on the basis of his ideals?_

"Tch." Yaiba tapped his shoulder twice with his katana. His left foot tapped on the ground, as if attempting to rouse Gongenzaka by sending him vibrations through the floor. "Oi! Get up already."

And sure enough, Gongenzaka grunted, flinching as he tried to lift himself. The duel had taken more energy out of him than he'd wanted to admit.

"You…" Gongenzaka said. He forced himself to steady his voice and look Yaiba in the eye. He wouldn't fear the consequences. So then, why did he feel so uneasy in the pit of his stomach?

He closed his eyes and awaited his punishment. He found it easier that way, not being able to see what Yaiba was preparing, what plans ran through his scampering eyes.

Yaiba tapped his shoulder one more time with the katana, looking out the glass window into the hallway. A laughing boy and a girl walked past his window, too absorbed in each other to notice either of them, but he couldn't see Masumi in the other room, just the outline of the Action Field. _Jeez,_ Yaiba thought, _she's still not done with her duel?_ And he decided to take matters into his own hands.

In this manner, he made his choice.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **(Yuzu Hiragi: 4000 LP/Masumi Kotsu: 4000 LP)**

"I'm going first," said Yuzu.

Masumi made no effort to dispute this, so Yuzu looked at her hand. She hoped Gongenzaka would be all right, but from here on, she had her own duel to worry about.

"I summon Solo the Melodious Songstress!"

A flash of light carried forth a new monster. She had peach-colored skin and wore a flowing red dress. She danced around the field in red tap shoes, pirouetting here and backflipping there. Blonde hair sat like angel wings on either side of her head. She sang a few notes as she struck a pose, one leg propped up like a triangle, a shoe touching her thigh. (1600 ATK)

Yuzu grabbed another card and said, "Next, while I control a Melodious monster, I can Special Summon this card from my hand. You're up, Sonata the Melodious Diva!"

The blue-green angel appeared, hands clasped together in reverent prayer. She also spun around and sang, throwing her arms wide open and embracing the world. (1200 ATK)

"After she's been Special Summoned, Sonata gives all Melodious monsters 500 more ATK!"

Sonata and Solo joined hands and harmonized their voices. (1200 – 1700 and 1600 – 2100 ATK, respectively)

"I end my turn with this," she said, content with her head start.

"Two monsters on the first turn," Masumi said, eyes trailing languidly from the monsters to their owner. "You're not from LDS, but it seems you have some skill."

Yuzu didn't much care for the way Masumi had said that word, _some_. With that inflection, she might as well have said that Yuzu had no skill whatsoever.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yuzu asked. She tried hard not to sound offended, but she knew she'd failed.

"Whatever, it doesn't matter anymore," said Masumi. "It's my turn!"

She drew a card but didn't look at it. Instead she chose one from the middle of her hand and played it. "I summon Crystal Rose!"

Masumi's monster resembled its name perfectly. Red crystals fashioned into rose petals sat atop an artificial diamond stem. (500 ATK)

In spite of Masumi's antagonism, Yuzu found herself amazed, both by the sheer beauty of the monster and by its incongruity with Masumi's less-than-lustrous personality. There was at once something alluring and mysterious about the absurdity of it all.

As Yuzu thought this, Masumi said, "I activate Crystal Rose's monster effect, which lets me send one Gem-Knight monster from my deck to the Graveyard. Crystal Rose then gains that monster's name for the remainder of the turn."

As if directly linked to Masumi's mind, her Duel Disk spat out the card she wanted. She turned the monster over for Yuzu to see – a Normal Monster, with solid gold armor and a ball of thunder at its fingertips – and dumped it in his discard slot.

"I send Gem-Knight Tourmaline to the Graveyard."

Yuzu watched the delicacy and grace that characterized Masumi's movements. When she drew her card, when she summoned her monster, when she planned her next move – all of her actions had a hidden thread of fastidiousness sewn into them. Yuzu wondered if that quality was always innate within Masumi or if elegance, too, was something that could be taught alongside dueling at a place like LDS.

And even now, as Masumi selected her rightmost card, Yuzu could see the refinement shining through like a burnished sword. She almost didn't notice when Masumi spoke.

"I activate the Spell Card, Gem-Knight Fusion! With this card's effect, I can use monsters from my hand and field to Fusion Summon a Gem-Knight monster."

This, however, Yuzu paid full attention to. "Fusion?" she repeated, her voice a half octave higher with astonishment.

"I fuse the Gem-Knight Lazuli in my hand with the Crystal Rose that's treated as Gem-Knight Tourmaline on my field!

Crystal rose ascended into the air, joined by a gray stone girl with big blank emeralds for eyes. They swirled together in a helix of blue and red.

"Green stones that hide mysterious power. Gem tinged with lightning. In a whirlpool of light combine to bring forth a dazzling radiance!"

Masumi's monster descended from a swirling Fusion portal. Its golden armor glinted in the well-lit corridor, forcing Yuzu to shield her eyes with a hand. Yellow lightning bolts tipped its helmet and upper arms while silver ones covered its breastplate. It wielded twin tonfas, one in each hand. (1800 ATK)

"Fusion Summon! Come forth, one who pursues victory. Gem-Knight Topaz!"

"You've got to be kidding," Yuzu whispered. "A Fusion Summon, and on her very first turn."

"Gem-Knight Lazuli's effect," Masumi said. "If it's sent to the Graveyard by a card effect, I can return one Normal Monster from my Graveyard to my hand. I return Gem-Knight Tourmaline!"

The card ejected itself from her discard slot, and she retrieved it.

Masumi brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, studying Gem-Knight Topaz. The preparations were out of the way – the true battle began here.

She threw her hand forward so that her palm faced Yuzu, and said, "Battle! Gem-Knight Topaz, attack Sonata the Melodious Diva!"

Topaz swung the tonfa in its left hand, sending a pulsating beam of electricity at Sonata. Sonata's body parted, and she let go of Solo's hand as she exploded.

 **(Yuzu: 3900 LP/Masumi: 4000 LP)**

The impact from the attack sent a light breeze Yuzu's way, pushing her bangs to and fro. Sullenly she said, "When Sonata leaves the field, Solo's ATK returns to normal."

Just as Yuzu said, the glow around Solo's body disappeared. (2100 – 1600 ATK)

"That's not all that happens," said Masumi.

"Eh?"

"Gem-Knight Topaz, when it destroys a monster, inflicts damage equal to that monster's original ATK to its controller!"

Yuzu froze, shocked that Masumi had planned this far ahead. _Is…is this the power of LDS?_

At the same time, Topaz shot a massive lightning bolt at Yuzu. The attack landed in front of her, then detonated, blowing her to the floor like a domino.

 **(Yuzu: 2700 LP/Masumi: 4000 LP)**

Yuzu winced through the pain, forcing herself up. She took heavy breaths, as though she had just completed a marathon.

Masumi looked at Yuzu with neither pity nor contrition. In fact, a haughty smile had wormed its way across her lips.

"We're not done yet," she said, looking at her Fusion Monster. "Gem-Knight Topaz can attack twice during each Battle Phase. Go, Gem-Knight Topaz! Attack Solo the Melodious Songstress!"

The right hand tonfa tore into Solo, slicing her in twain. The impact from the attack dragged Yuzu back to her knees.

 **(Yuzu: 2500 LP/Masumi: 4000 LP)**

"Again, Gem-Knight Topaz's effect activates. I'll have you take Solo's ATK as damage, too!"

A cloud of smoke stirred through the air after the second lightning bolt detonated. Masumi could see in the murky smolders Yuzu's vague silhouette, lying face down on the ground.

 **(Yuzu: 900 LP/Masumi: 4000 LP)**

"Hmph. It seems I was right," Masumi said, one hand poised on her hip. "You really aren't with LDS, otherwise you would have had a counter to my attack."

She looked at the cards in her hand, and then brushed another lock of hair from her face. "Well," she said, "I suppose it doesn't matter either way. I'll end this duel on my next turn."

Yuzu's voice came before Masumi could fully see her: "You're certainly right," it said. "It's true that I'm not with LDS."

Then the smoke started to clear, and Yuzu came into focus. She stood up straight, her face and body imbued with a newfound, explosive sense of determination.

"But just because that's the case," Yuzu continued, "just because I come from a lesser duel school, that doesn't give you the right to underestimate me!"

Masumi raised an eyebrow, taken aback both by the fervor in Yuzu's voice and by the illusory form of Solo the Melodious Songstress that floated behind Yuzu.

"When Solo is destroyed by battle," Yuzu explained, "I can Special Summon any Melodious monster from my deck!"

Yuzu selected a card and summoned it, chanting, "Enchanting melody echoing in the heaven. Awaken the sleeping virtuoso!"

Flecks of purple fairy dust clustered together before Yuzu, coalescing around Mozarta. The angelic conductor in the billowing red dress appeared, guiding her baton to an unheard melody. Her wings glowed bright green, illuminating their piano key imprints. (2600 ATK)

"Come! Level 8, Mozarta the Melodious Maestra!"

"Summoning a Level 8 monster on my turn!" Masumi, hearing the undercurrent of panic that had invaded her voice, cleared her throat with a bogus sounding cough. Then, more evenly, she said, "Well, I'd be insulted if you didn't at least show me this much."

She set two cards facedown and declared the end of her turn.

Yuzu held a hand over her chest, taking a moment to regulate her breathing. This was her stage now, her time. She would definitely show Masumi what You Show had to offer.

She took one final calming breath. "It's my turn," she said. "Draw!"

She glimpsed the card before her eyes fell upon her ace monster. "Now, the concert begins!" she announced. "Once each turn, Mozarta the Melodious Maestra can Special Summon a Fairy-Type monster from my hand. It's your stage, Elegy the Melodious Diva!"

With a wave of her baton Mozarta called forth a green-haired angel. Her tights and bodysuit were both deep violet, the same hue as the wing on her back. A similar mask covered the right side of her face, and a winding purple coil traveled down her right arm. (2000 ATK)

"When Special Summoned, Elegy gives all of my Fairy-Type monsters 300 more ATK!"

Mozarta and Elegy adopted a neon blue aura. (2600 – 2900 and 2000 – 2300 ATK, respectively)

Yuzu looked into Masumi's eyes. "What you said about this duel ending on your next turn won't come true, because I'm going to finish it here!"

Masumi blinked away her disbelief. "Why don't you prove it, then?"

"I will! I attack Gem-Knight Topaz with Elegy! Clear Pitch!"

Elegy sang a beautiful note, clear as a starlit night sky. The invisible sound rippled out, traveling to the Gem-Knight. Topaz uselessly swung its tonfas around to protect itself.

"Here it comes, Masumi!" Yuzu said, turning around her newest card. "From my hand I activate the effect of Score the Melodious Diva!"

A small angel with tanned skin appeared in the middle of the field. She wore a floral print dress with a matching flower headdress. She held a thin blue hymnal in one hand.

"Score's effect is activated when a battle involving a Melodious monster occurs. By sending it to the Graveyard, I can make the opposing monster's ATK and DEF equal to zero this turn!"

"What?" Masumi shouted.

The color drained from Topaz, turning his gold armor a pallid gray. (1800 – 0 ATK)

Masumi took a step back as Score caused Elegy's attack to become visible. Three green waves of sound energy struck Topaz. The first two knocked the monster over and the last one destroyed it.

 **(Yuzu: 900 LP/Masumi: 1700 LP)**

"This is the last movement!" Yuzu's words were confident, the message of an assured victor. "I attack directly with Mozarta! Graceful Wave!"

Mozarta twirling its baton in a circle, causing a ring of air to materialize. It shot the blast at Masumi, pulling her closer into its gravity.

Masumi clicked a button on her Duel Disk. "Trap Card, Fragment Fusion, activate!"

Behind her appeared the fallen Gem-Knight Topaz, followed by Gem-Knight Lazuli.

"This Trap Card lets me Fusion Summon a Gem-Knight monster banishing two monsters in my Graveyard as Fusion Materials. I fuse Gem-Knight Topaz and Gem-Knight Lazuli!"

The warriors merged, and Masumi said, "Pursuer of victory. Green stones that hide mysterious power. In a whirlpool of light combine to bring forth a dazzling radiance!"

A new monster crashed down from above. Its fists were monstrous, the size of rocket launchers. Gray armor shielded its entire body. In the spots where its hands should have been were giant ovals of cubic zirconia, shining brightly. (2900 ATK)

"Fusion Summon! Come forth, bewitching and dazzling splendor. Gem-Knight Zirconia!"

Yuzu felt her confidence deflate like a balloon. She had done so much damage only to be stopped short of victory.

"The monster summoned by Fragment Fusion is destroyed when the turn ends," Masumi said. "Its strength is the same as Mozarta's, though I imagine you're not reckless enough to attack it."

Masumi was right, they both knew. Attacking would be a fruitless effort.

"Before I end my turn," said Yuzu, "I equip Mozarta with the Saint Instrument Equip Spell!"

A strange instrument bearing a harp and eight brass horns attached to Mozarta's back.

"With this card in play, any effect damage that I would take is negated, and that amount is added to Mozarta's ATK instead. Also, all opposing attacks are redirected to the equipped monster."

 _All right,_ Yuzu thought. _With this, I've sealed her Topaz and other damage cards._

"I end my turn," she said, and Gem-Knight Zirconia dissolved into light energy.

"Draw!" Masumi said, and drew.

"What are you smiling for?" Yuzu asked, noting Masumi's emerging grin. "Even if you drew something good, it would take all three cards in your hand to do perform Fusion Summon."

"I wonder about that," Masumi replied, smirking. "From my Graveyard I activate the effect of my Crystal Rose!"

Two cards shot from her discard slot, Crystal Rose and Gem-Knight Zirconia.

"By banishing a Fusion Monster in my Graveyard, I can Special Summon Crystal Rose!"

She pocketed Zirconia, then replayed Crystal Rose. (500 DEF)

"On top of that, Crystal Rose, once per turn, can send a Gem-Knight monster from my deck to the Graveyard to copy its name. I send Gem-Knight Crystal to the Graveyard from my deck!"

Masumi sent another Normal Monster packing, this one silver with crystal spikes on its armor.

"And on top of _that_ ," Masumi added, "the Gem-Knight Fusion in my Graveyard has an effect that allows me to return it to my hand by banishing a Gem-Knight monster in my Graveyard!"

"What?" This was the first that Yuzu had heard of something like that. "A Fusion card that can recycle itself?"

Masumi placed Gem-Knight Crystal next to Zirconia and then recovered Gem-Knight Fusion.

"Now, I activate Gem-Knight Fusion once more! With it, I fuse the recovered Gem-Knight Tourmaline in my hand with the Crystal Rose that's treated as Gem-Knight Crystal on my field!"

The warrior and the rose melded, and Masumi said, "Gem tinged with lightning. Eye of quartz. In a whirlpool of light combine to bring forth a dazzling radiance!"

Radiant silver armor coated the monster from head to toe. Sparkling crystals sprouted from its shoulder pads. The monsters silver helmet had horns that were made of solid diamond. The monster armed itself well, with a shield in one hand and a lance in the other. Blotches of pink electricity moved over its body. (2450 ATK)

"Fusion Summon! Come forth, glorious warrior of righteousness. Gem-Knight Prismaura!"

"No way," Yuzu muttered. "A Fusion Summon using only recovered cards."

"My turn doesn't end there," Masumi said. "Gem-Knight Fusion's recovery effect can be activated as many times a turn as I have monsters to banish. I activate its effect again!"

Gem-Knight Tourmaline and Gem-Knight Fusion came from the Graveyard. Masumi pocketed the former and added the latter to her hand.

"Next, I activate Gem-Knight Prismaura's monster effect!"

She sent Gem-Knight Fusion back to the Graveyard.

"Once per turn, by discarding one Gem-Knight card, I can destroy one face-up card on the field. My target, naturally, is Mozarta the Melodious Maestra!"

Prismaura's lance filled with pink lightning, which it shot at Mozarta. Before the blast reached her, a barrier made of blue light appeared and intercepted it.

"How?" Masumi stuttered, eyes round with disbelief. "Why did my effect fail?"

"Sorry," Yuzu said in a tone that belied the apology, "but on top of her ATK boost, Elegy prevents my Special Summoned Melodious monsters from being destroyed by card effects!"

Masumi's expression soured. She hated using her ace monster against those she deemed unworthy, but it seemed to be the only possibility. She discarded the two monsters in her hand.

"Trap, activate! Pyroxene Fusion!"

The two monsters appeared beside Gem-Knight Prismaura. The leftmost one wore pure blue armor, the rightmost wore pitch black.

"This card allows me to Fusion Summon a Gem-Knight using monsters from my hand and field. I fuse Gem-Knights Sapphire and Obsidian with the Gem-Knight Prismaura on my field!"

Masumi chanted: "Strong willed blue. Sharp jet-black darkness. Protector of the righteous. In a whirlpool of light combine to bring forth a dazzling radiance!"

The corridor floor broke apart under the weight of a falling sword. Running down the middle of the blade was a row of rainbow gemstones. Then the sword's owner walked forward, dressed in glittering silver armor encrusted with amethyst stones, clanking its noisy boots along the carpet. Its forearms and hands were made of crystals. It took its sword by the hilt, but instead of picking it up the monster drove it deeper into the floor. (2900 ATK)

"Fusion Summon! Come forth, the supreme radiance that illuminates all that exists! Gem-Knight Master Diamond!"

"A triple Fusion," Yuzu said to herself.

"Gem-Knight Obsidian's effect," Masumi said. "Because it was sent to the Graveyard from my hand, I can revive a low-Level Gem-Knight Normal Monster. Come, Gem-Knight Sapphire!"

Blue light streamed from Masumi's discard slot, and Sapphire popped onto the field. (2100 DEF)

 _With Saint Instrument, Masumi can only attack Mozarta,_ Yuzu thought. _Furthermore, she can't use effect damage to fight me. If she wants to get past, she'll have to sacrifice her monster._

"You're wrong," Masumi said, eyes narrowing under the weight of her smirk.

"What are you talking about?" Yuzu snapped.

"Your eyes told me everything," said Masumi. "You think that I'm stuck now, that I can't get through your defense without sacrificing something of my own." She said these things not as questions but as incontestable facts. "You think you're safe behind that Equip Spell of yours.

"But you're wrong about one thing. You and I are not equal, nor are our monsters."

Yuzu shifted her footing, off-put by Masumi's sudden condescension. "What do you mean?"

Masumi simply looked to her monster in response. At this, two of the gemstones on Master Diamond's sword lit up. (2900 – 3100 ATK)

Yuzu's jaw dropped. A dryness crept through her throat. Speech became an impossibility.

"Master Diamond gains 100 ATK for each Gem-Knight monster in my Graveyard," Masumi said, holding up two fingers. "In there now are Gem-Knights Obsidian and Prismaura, giving Master Diamond an additional 200 ATK!

"Like this, it's strong enough to defeat Mozarta. Go, Master Diamond!"

Master Diamond directed the tip of its sword at Mozarta. With a grunt and a vertical swing of the blade, the Fusion Monster unleashed a golden blast of energy at the conductor, incinerating it.

 **(Yuzu: 700 LP/Masumi: 1700 LP)**

Masumi, finally out of cards, said, "I end my turn here."

Yuzu did a quick check of the situation: Elegy on her field, Canon the Melodious Diva in her hand. It took her a moment to realize that those were the only cards she had left.

She wondered if she even had a card in her deck that could save her. She debated surrendering before remembering that it was Yuya's sake that she was dueling for. If it was for him, she wouldn't give up. She would keep fighting until the very end.

 _Yuya…_

"This draw," she thought aloud, looking at her deck. "I'm going to put all of my feelings into it."

The room grew tense with suspense, the air muggy and stifling as Yuzu grabbed the card. She shouted, "My turn! Draw!" and spun around when she yanked the card free.

Her face fell and her mouth opened wide when she saw the card that awaited her: Polymerization – the card she had forgotten to remove from her deck.

 _Polymerization,_ she thought. _Sora's card. Why…? Why did I draw this card at a time like this?_

"If you won't make a move, the least you can do is surrender," Masumi said after a minute.

Yuzu closed her eyes, giving way to the memory that bombarded her mind. She saw herself back in the You Show classroom, alone and standing in front of the desks. She was practicing using Polymerization, pretending to fuse Aria and Sonata. She remembered feeling a little twinge of jealousy at Yuya's Pendulum Summoning, his further evolution as a duelist, and she wanted to know the feeling. This was why she had been so committed to learning how to Fusion Summon, she recalled, this strong-willed desire to better herself, to improve. And even now, she felt like she could do it, like she could Fusion Summon, in spite of never doing it before. She had seen Masumi do it multiple times in the past ten minutes; she knew exactly what to do.

She would surpass – no, she would _break through_ – her limits as a duelist. She was ready.

"When I control a Melodious monster, I can Special Summon Canon the Melodious Diva!"

A burst of light sent the purple-skinned woman forward. She crossed her arms over her chest and closed her eyes behind her golden butterfly mask. (2000 DEF)

Yuzu flipped her last card around. "I activate the Magic Card, Polymerization, from my hand!"

Masumi's unbreakable poker face fractured. "Polymerization!" she cried. She'd been told that LDS was the only duel school in Maiami City with a Fusion Summoning curriculum. So then how did this girl have a Fusion card? "Then that means…"

Yuzu nodded, her face sharp with resolve. Like she practiced, she said, "The cards I'm fusing are Elegy the Melodious Diva and Canon the Melodious Diva on my field! Fusion Summon!"

Arms outstretched, Elegy and Canon flew into the air, and Masumi and Yuzu stared expectantly.

Then an obnoxious buzzing noise sounded, startling both duelists, and on Yuzu saw on her Duel Disk monitor one word written in blocky red lettering: "Error."

Then the two Melodious monsters bumped heads and fell back to the ground. Like a cartoon, little Solid-Vision stars and planets comically circled their heads, which they held in confusion.

"What? Error? The summon didn't work?" Yuzu shrieked. "Why? Wasn't it supposed to give me a Fusion Monster?"

Masumi understood before Yuzu. She relaxed, sneering. "Your eyes must be quite clouded."

"Huh?" Yuzu turned from her monsters to her opponent. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Fusion Monsters are summoned from the Extra Deck," Masumi said, and coolly pushed another lock of hair behind her ear. "Despite my numerous Fusion Summons during this duel, you failed to see that. My Fusion Monsters have all been Special Summoned from the Extra Deck. They didn't just appear."

"Extra Deck?" But then Yuzu stopped to think. How had she not seen it before? It had been the same way with Reiji when he dueled against Yuya, hadn't it? His Fusion Monsters had come from the Extra Deck too; they hadn't materialized out of thin air. Masumi was telling the truth.

So how had she not seen it before? What, or who, had she been thinking of all those other times when she should have been focusing on the duels?

Of course, she already knew the answer. Even though she tried, she couldn't get out of her head the image of the man who had dueled Sora in her place. And when she thought of him, she thought of Yugo. The two were a package deal; one couldn't exist without the other in her mind.

Why had those two looked exactly like Yuya? And why had they called her Ruri and Rin? And why had Sora been so insistent that her name was Serena? Why had Yuya acted the way he had against Strong Ishijima, and Sawatari, and Reiji? And why, now that Yuzu thought about it, now that all her thoughts were at the forefront of her conscious, had her bracelet been randomly shining recently, right when Yuya showed up? And why…

Masumi's voice cut through Yuzu's rampant imagination. "To be blinded by that simple fact," she said. "That's why I said it – that your eyes are clouded."

Yuzu grimaced, brought back to reality where she was once again stuck with a useless Spell Card. Still, she decided to fend off Masumi's assault as best she could, if only for Yuya's sake.

"I attack Gem-Knight Sapphire with Elegy the Melodious Diva."

Elegy's voice carried to the other side of the field, flattening the defending blue Gem-Knight.

Masumi said, "With another Gem-Knight in my Graveyard, Master Diamond's ATK goes up."

Another gemstone on Master Diamond's sword sparkled. (3100 – 3200 ATK)

Yuzu had predicted this much. "Once per turn, Canon can switch the battle position of a Melodious monster. I change Elegy to Defense Position, and end my turn."

Elegy copied Canon, crossing her arms over her chest as well. (1200 DEF)

"My turn!" Masumi shouted. "Draw!"

She gave the card a cursory look before removing two cards from her Graveyard – Gem-Knight Prismaura and Crystal Rose.

"By banishing one Fusion Monster, Crystal Rose can be resummoned in Defense Position!"

Crystal Rose appeared yet again. (500 DEF)

"I activate its effect, giving it the name of the Gem-Knight Lapis I'm sending from my deck."

Masumi sent Gem-Knight Lapis, a Normal Monster that looked nearly identical to Gem-Knight Lazuli, to the Graveyard. It then slipped out of her Duel Disk with another card, and Master Diamond's ATK dropped back down to 3100.

"Continuing, I banish the just-sent Gem-Knight Lapis to return Gem-Knight Fusion to my hand, and I activate it to fuse the Crystal Rose that's treated as Gem-Knight Lapis on my field with the Gem-Knight Emerald in my hand!"

Beside Crystal Rose formed Emerald, a warrior in soft green armor and a grassy ponytail. Masumi chanted: "Blue stones that hide mysterious power. Green radiance beckoning good fortune. In a whirlpool of light combine to bring forth a dazzling radiance!"

A flood of bright blue poured from an ensuing portal. A stone woman rose from the portal, wearing priestly robes and wooden clogs. She wore on a gold chain around her neck a large blue crystal, shaped like a full moon. It shone brightly, filling the corridor with intense blue light, the same color as the monster's eyes. (2400 ATK)

"Fusion Summon! Level 5, Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli!"

Yuzu swallowed hard, inspecting this new monster. Canon and Elegy could withstand the Gem-Knight's attacks this turn, and with no cards in her hand, Masumi couldn't end the duel.

"Gem-Knight Master Diamond's ATK changes again," Masumi said, and her monster's ATK went back up to 3200. "Not like it matters anyway, because this is duel is over."

"Quit bluffing," Yuzu retorted. "You have no cards left, and we each control two monsters."

"I'm not going to waste my time like that…Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli's effect activates!"

Masumi's Extra Deck slot opened. She took another Lapis Lazuli from the stack, showing Yuzu.

"By sending a Gem-Knight from my Extra Deck to the Graveyard, Lady Lapis Lazuli inflicts 500 damage to my opponent for each Special Summoned monster on the field" – Masumi signaled to Canon and Elegy the Melodious Divas, and Gem-Knights Master Diamond and Lady Lapis Lazuli – "of which there are four, for a total of 2000 damage!"

Lady Lapis Lazuli's necklace crystal filled with lurid light. Palms outward, she flung the blast.

Panic hit Yuzu like a freight train. She had to act soon. Her mind blurred and jumbled, though, and each time she tried to get a firm grip on reality, her fingers slipped through the cracks.

Without thinking she looked at the card in her hand, thinking it could save her. Polymerization.

And in the wake of it all, _his_ voice came to her: _I don't want you to get hurt anymore, Ruri._

But it was only an illusion, and in reality she had really been struck by Lady Lapis Lazuli's attack. Her body lunged through the air like a rock thrown by a catapult. She screamed, but she couldn't be totally sure as to whether the illusion or the reality had caused her to do so.

 **(Yuzu: 0 LP/Masumi: 1700 LP)**

As her body plummeted, the Action Field began to dissolve, giving way to a rather plain duel room, albeit a nicer, more expensive one than You Show's. And when Yuzu hit the floor, a stray Action Card near her head jumped up and floated over her face. It fell at Masumi's feet and disappeared, but the damage had been done. Both girls had already seen it.

The Action Magic, Acceleration. A card with an effect that could nullify effect damage. To think that such a card was so close to her, it made Yuzu feel even worse about losing. It seemed she had missed that, too. Just as Masumi had said, her eyes really had been clouded.

Masumi turned to her right, her back facing the door, and looked out the duel room's window. The afternoon had darkened and turned gray under the weight of clouds. On the horizon, maybe in the next town over, orange rays stippled the skyline. She stared at the passing birds and cars, unable to focus on just one thing. She had been so dead set on defeating Yuzu and turning her over to a higher authority – to Reiji himself, if she had to – but now that she'd won, her conviction seemed to fizzle like a dying firework.

She bit her lip and looked at Yuzu's body, pitiable and prone. A pinprick of sympathy ignited within her. This girl hadn't even known the basics of Fusion Summoning, and yet she stood dauntless in the face of a stronger, more equipped adversary. Something internal that Masumi couldn't understand, some visceral part of her, held at least a candle of respect for Yuzu's actions, whether she called it bravery or recklessness.

Hoping she wasn't setting a precedent for herself, Masumi trained her eyes on Yuzu. "Go," she said.

With some difficulty, Yuzu sat up and clutched her shoulder with one hand. Her body stung, but that would heal in due time. Her pride was another matter.

"What?" Yuzu said, mouth agape. Masumi wasn't going to punish her? Had she not heard her correctly?

"I said go," Masumi repeated. "Hurry up before I change my mind. Leave this place and don't come back. Trespassing in a private school is forbidden."

Yuzu picked herself up, still gripping her shoulder. She turned to look out the window, noticing the blankets of clouds that were moving into the city. Rain threatened to fall.

Limping to the door, Yuzu looked over her shoulder. Was Masumi really going to just let her walk out of here? Yuzu got her answer when she saw Masumi's face aimed at the ground, her lustrous black hair concealing her eyes, her hands clenched and rolled into round fists. And Yuzu knew better than to press her luck.

Yuzu said the girl's name under her breath as she opened the door, but she got no reaction. She felt the temptation to take another look back but instead walked out the door. As she entered the hallway, she saw Gongenzaka standing there, leaning against the door of the room where his duel had taken place. She studied him, his similarly bruised body, his uneven posture.

"Gongenzaka, you…"

He answered her with a shake of his head, and she said no more about the subject.

"What happened to the girl who was dueling you?" Gongenzaka asked. He didn't need to ask about Yuzu's situation to know that she'd lost her battle – the look on her face telegraphed everything.

She pointed to the door with a thumb. "She's still in there," she said. "She let me go without telling anyone else that we were here."

Gongenzaka looked heavenward. "Toudou Yaiba did the same thing after he won our duel. He told me to leave, then he left the room. I don't understand it at all. Why go through all the trouble of dueling if that's the result?"

The pain in Yuzu's shoulder had tapered off, and she dropped her hand to her side. "So, in the end, neither of them decided to turn us in?" She whirled around and saw Masumi through the door's tiny rectangular window. The black-haired girl stood by the window, looking at the traces of orange on the horizon. It looked like she was trying hard to not look at the clouds that had overtaken the city.

Yuzu pressed her hand against the window and shivered. Her lower lip quivered when she said, "Masumi…"

Gongenzaka cast a glance over his shoulder, looking at the spot in the dark, empty room where he'd been standing not ten minutes before. He gnashed his teeth and mulled over Yaiba's words.

 _ **Gongenzaka said, "I have faith in both this deck and the principles of Steadfast Dueling. I need no other trifles. I will hold steadfast to my values, even in an Action Duel."**_

" _ **Tsk, you won't ever evolve if you keep thinking like that," said Yaiba. "That stubborn resolve of yours that you cling to, that false feeling of commitment to some outdated mode of dueling, it won't work as easily as you believe. You can't win if you're stuck on one path alone."**_

His body trembled with shame. Trying his best to keep the emotion out of his voice, he said, "We should get back to You Show before anyone else here gets suspicious. Your father's probably wondering why we're taking so long, too."

She turned to face him. She could see the disappointment on his face as if someone had scribbled it on him with a highlighter. She didn't mention it, however, because she was sure she had the same look scrawled on her own face. "Right," she said, her voice a mere whisper.

And the two of them, passing the Pendulum Course poster again, hobbled out of LDS, retreating into the safety of Maiami City, where the rain had just begun to fall.

Unbeknownst to Yuzu and Gongenzaka, Masumi, still standing in front of the window, watched them walk down the sidewalk together as the rain drenched their hair and clothes. Two blocks away they waited for a streetlight, and when the pedestrian sign greeted them, they ambled forward, rounded a corner, and left Masumi's sight.

Then Masumi sat on the windowsill, crossing her legs. She took her deck from her Duel Disk and looked through the cards. She stopped when she came to Gem-Knight Fusion. She closed her eyes and thought of Yuzu standing before her, trying her hardest to make use of Polymerization, trying to become stronger.

Masumi couldn't help it. She smiled.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

It was quiet in the control room, or as quiet as it ever normally got, amidst the sounds of the workers' frenetic typing and the bleeping of monitors.

From his spot behind the main rig, Reiji laced his fingers together and dropped his head in front of them. He had, of course, seen both Yuzu's and Gongenzaka's duels. They'd lost, as he'd foreseen, but now he had a plan running through his mind. Even if they weren't up to the level of the LDS elites, they could still be of use to him. He knew as well as anyone in power than pawns were a necessary tool to achieve one's goals, and that a game couldn't be won with kings and queens alone.

"Nakajima."

Nakajima, who was standing behind Reiji, stepped forward, hands dutifully at his sides. "Yes, President?"

"It seems something interesting has come into our hands. Do a thorough investigation on both Hiragi Yuzu and Gongenzaka Noboru. Every bit of information, no matter how seemingly insignificant, is paramount. And…"

"And?" Nakajima said.

"I want to know everything you can discover about their relationships with Sakaki Yuya. In what way are the three of them related?"

"Yes," said Nakajima.

Reiji pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, then refolded his fingers. "These two appear to be Sakaki Yuya's best friends, and are likely the closest links that we have to Pendulum Summoning. If it comes to it, then…"

"Understood, President," Nakajima said, and he left to begin his task.

Reiji lifted his Duel Disk and tapped a few buttons. The device, which was wired to the control room's supercomputer, beeped in response, and within seconds three images appeared in a straight line on the room's main monitor.

The leftmost picture, snapped at the start of Yuzu's duel, showed her standing in the Crystal Corridor. The rightmost picture, taken the previous week by a security camera in the LDS lobby, showed Serena. Reiji's eyes glided tiredly from the first picture to the second. It was true that their faces were exactly similar, but that was where the commonalities ended for him.

 _Hiragi Yuzu and Serena. Multiple girls with the same face,_ he thought. _So it's true, after all. It's just like Father…no, just like Akaba Leo said._

Then he tapped on the third picture and it enlarged and filled up the screen's entirety. It was a red-bordered diamond with a black background on the inside. Overlaid above the black was a gallant gold knight on a horse. He held a lance in one hand. Written in gold cursive lettering, in English, the words ballooned over the knight like a guardian angel: Lance Defense Soldiers.

Yes, when Academia came, he would be ready.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

OCG/Anime/Custom Cards Shown In This Chapter –

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Superheavy Samurai General Coral (Pendulum Monster)**

Machine/Pendulum/Level 1/Scale 8-8/Effect/EARTH

300 ATK/500 DEF

Pendulum Effect: While you have a Spell/Trap Card(s) in your Graveyard, this card's Pendulum Scale becomes 4. Once per turn, when a "Superheavy Samurai" monster you control destroys an opponent's monster by battle: You can activate this effect; that monster can make a second attack in a row (even if this card leaves the field).

Monster Effect: If you have no Spell/Trap Cards in your Graveyard: You can Tribute up to 2 "Superheavy Samurai" monsters; draw that many cards. You can only use this effect of "Superheavy Samurai General Coral" once per turn.

Note: For this chapter, this monster is only an Effect Monster, and thus only has its second effect.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Saber Reflection (Spell)**

Quick-Play Spell

Image: A giant, circular barrier with the trademark X-Saber insignia inscribed on the center.

Effect: When you take damage while you control an "X-Saber" monster: Gain LP equal to the amount of damage you took, also inflict an equal amount of damage to your opponent, then you can add 1 "Saber" Spell/Trap Card or 1 "Gottoms" card from your Deck to your hand. You can only activate 1 "Saber Reflection" per turn.

Note: This card can be found in the Booster SP: Raging Masters. It is currently only available in Asia.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Saint Instrument (Spell)**

Equip Spell

Image: A harp with eight brass attachments making a cacophony of noise.

Effect: While this card is equipped to a "Melodious" monster, your opponent cannot target monsters for attacks, except the equipped monster. During either player's turn, if a player would take effect damage: You can make the equipped monster gain ATK equal to that damage, and if you do, make that effect damage 0.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Flight (Spell)**

Normal Spell/Action Card

Image: An up arrow supported by a set of angel wings.

Effect: The attack target gains 600 ATK until the end of the Battle Phase.

Note: The above two cards were first used by Yuzu Hiragi in Episode 69 of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V." Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Acceleration (Spell)**

Normal Spell/Action Card

Image: A black-silhouetted man running at the speed of light.

Effect: When a card or effect is activated that would inflict damage to you: Make that effect damage to you 0.

Note: This card was first used by Yuya Sakaki in Episode 78 of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V." Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Author's Note: Still depressed about his loss, Yuya starts avoiding his friends and skipping classes at You Show. Gongenzaka, tired of Yuya's shameless self-pity, challenges his best friend to a serious duel. But Yuya, believing he is no longer a special duelist, decides to throw away the duel that his father taught him. Elsewhere, the mysterious Shun begins the first phase of his plan to confront Akaba Reiji. What trick does he have up his sleeve? Find out next time!


	11. Evolving Duelists

Author's Note: I've actually been sitting on this chapter for a while, trying to plan out my next move with this story since the anime is ending (as of today). Wanted to crank out one more chapter before saying goodbye to Arc-V. That said, I plan on continuing this story, even after the series is ended, especially considering how things went with the show. It gives me a lot to work with. As always, sorry for the delay in chapters (life is life, y'know?), and thank you, thank you, _thank you_ for your patience! Since we're having a gap in the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime next month before the new series, expect me to fill it with all new chapters of this story. My goal is to have a chapter up for every week in April, to make up for lost times. Hopefully I can stick to that. Until then, please enjoy this one.

 **Chapter 11: Evolving Duelists**

 **0-0-0-0-0**

The morning following Yuzu's and Gongenzaka's LDS duels, an overcast Tuesday morning in Maiami City, Yuya awoke to the patter of rain against his window. The noise reached him even before he opened his eyes, creeping into the pliant crevices of his mind like an unbidden houseguest and wrapping around the edges of his dream like a cocoon. In his dream – more accurately, his nightmare – he relived the past, invariably. He saw it perfectly, as though the vision were unfolding before him on a theater screen: Reiji standing before him, regal and commanding, eyes concealed behind red-framed glasses, unveiling his Pendulum Cards, performing a Pendulum Summon.

 _His_ Pendulum Summon. Yuya's creation.

Then came the confusing part, the part that Yuya could never account for: Reiji's actual Pendulum Summon.

It had transpired, of course, but Yuya had no recollection of the thing. It was as if someone had thrown a curtain over the theater screen, blotting out the duel's climax. A gap appeared that caused a stark division in the dream, a before and after that centered on that one moment, Reiji setting his Scales. He could remember everything that had happened before – the first turn triple Extra Deck summon, his own Pendulum Summoning – and he could remember his last turn – his monster's attack, the failed Action Card – but what, exactly, had happened in between, in that crucial moment?

He was no stranger to this dream; it had been recurring since his loss. Still, the memory eluded him. It teased him, drew him close with the promise of recollection, showed him a glimpse of a monster or the hint of a voice before withdrawing. He wasn't sure he could trust his memories. He wasn't sure he could trust himself.

And then there was the other thing. The razed city, the building fires, Duel Monsters being used to destroy a civilization. Just what was that image? Why had he seen it, heard it, felt it so vividly? And that boy that had been chased, the one who had been turned into a card – what did it all…?

A single knock on Yuya's bedroom door, lighter than the sound of the mizzling outside, light enough to make Yuya question whether he had truly heard it, made him open his eyes. He stirred in his bed, turned around to face the door, half expecting to see his mother standing there, her back arched against the doorjamb. The door was still closed, but another knock sounded.

"Get up," Yoko said. The door distorted her tone, Yuya thought, made the words come out the wrong way. "You've already missed one day of school," she said, "and you can't afford to fall behind any further."

Yuya turned from the door to his pillow, lumpy and equally distorted. It felt hard as a rock as he lay his head back down. He rolled over, his back facing the door, curled himself into a ball, and pulled the covers over his head.

"Your food is going to get cold," his mother said, a whisper. Her gold bracelets clanked against each other, the sound of surrender.

As if on cue, Yuya's stomach started to growl. He had barely eaten at all the past few days. Even so, he held fast to his resolve and waited until he heard his mother's soft sigh and the jangle of her bracelets and the trudge of her flats traipsing down the hall until the sound was no more.

He knew it was childish, knew his mother was trying her best. She had been for some time now, alone. His father's disappearance had been hard on them both, perhaps even more so on her. He felt a pang in the pit of his stomach like a seed taking root, blooming wildly into a flower of guilt and contrition.

Slowly, he lifted the covers, peeked from behind his quilted armor into the outside world. He threw his legs over the side of his bed, peering out the window. Cars soared by on the streets, rounding corners and sending miniature tidal waves crashing onto the sidewalk. The grass shone with water; the individual blades, all of them, crumpled under the weight of the raindrops.

He reached out for his nightstand, longing to touch something, anything, physical. His fingers brushed against his deck, nearly toppling the cards over. He caught the deck just before the cards fell to the floor, scooping them up with both hands. The bottom card of the stack stared back at him: Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon. He tightened his grip around the cards and closed his eyes, mouthing silent wishes.

Then he replaced his deck on the nightstand, shook the covers off completely, and made his way to the shower.

In fifteen minutes time, he was sitting at his usual spot in the kitchen, staring at a stack of (as his mother had predicted) cold pancakes. It didn't matter as much to him, though. At that point, he would have eaten month-old pancakes just to get some food in him. As he made his way through his breakfast, he looked to his left, watching his mother, who was watching the television. He felt another pinprick of guilt well up inside him, for not thanking his mother for the food and for not responding to her earlier, and he was poised to apologize when she set down her teacup, picked up the remote control, and muted the television.

"They've been calling for you, you know. All of them," she said, replacing the remote on the coffee table. In her haste, she tapped her teacup, sending a small puddle of liquid over the rim and onto the stack of old dueling magazines. The man on the cover – incidentally, Sakaki Yusho – still smiled as the tea soaked his face, staining him.

"Who?" Yuya asked, though he knew – and his mother knew he knew, too, she must have – precisely who she meant.

Nonetheless, she answered, "Yuzu and the others." She affected a sigh, shaking her head in mock vexation. "That Shuzo keeps asking when you're going to show up. 'We can't get fired up with our star duelist! We need Yuya to make this a truly hot-blooded lecture!'" She smiled, seeming thoroughly pleased with her impression of Yuzu's father, Yusho's closest friend.

"Yuzu too?" Yuya said, unable to meet his mother's gaze. He returned to his pancakes, though he chewed slower, with considerably less vigor. They had tried calling his Duel Disk too, multiple times – Gongenzaka, Dennis, even Ayu and Futoshi – but he had yet to receive a call from Yuzu, _his_ closest friend. Why was that? What had warranted that treatment? He felt a vague sense of fear and unease, wondering if his blackout moment against Reiji caused her behavior. Had he said something that he shouldn't have?

Yoko raised her teacup to her lips but did not drink. She stared into the gold liquid with an intense focus, as if attempting to divine the secrets of the future through the murky oolong. The rain fell steadily around them, pounding the roof, the windows, begging to be let in.

The telephone rang, and Yuya nearly jumped out of his skin. Every nerve, every instinct, in his body shouted for him to flee and take cover, a newfound panic. The phone was for him, there was no doubt about that, and he didn't want to be anywhere close when it was answered. He wasn't ready to talk to anyone.

Teacup still in hand, Yoko stood and wandered into the kitchen. With a flick of her wrist, she motioned for Yuya to leave. He uttered a mental thank you, scooted his chair back, and raced back to his room. He didn't stop to listen for the caller's name. He could hear his mother's terse "Hello?" as he soared from the kitchen into safety.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Yuya was loath to go to school, but his mother had been right. With two nearly failing grades in Algebra and Japanese History, he really couldn't afford to miss any more school than necessary. And so with great unwillingness, he dragged himself into first-period Algebra. He was already dreading the missed homework he would have to complete from yesterday's lessons. He almost wished his mother had forced him out of bed and onto the school bus.

And then he didn't. He felt his blood slowly, little by little, being laced with panic. Breathing became a chore, laborious and overly calculated. It didn't matter how illogical the fantasy, how unlikely, how paranoid – he felt as though all his classmates knew about his loss against Reiji, knew that he had lost the one thing that made him special, the one thing that caused him to stand out among them. He was just like them now – no, he was even lower than them. They had never had anything to lose in the first place. He was a loser in every sense of the word.

It didn't help, either, when Yuzu walked in the classroom, shaking the rain from her hair and paper fan, which, Yuya knew, she used as a quick, makeshift umbrella on days like these. She scanned the faces of her classmates. Her eyes brightened when she saw his in the sea of bodies. Quickly, she made her way to her seat beside him.

"There you are!" she said, trying, and failing, to keep the excitement from her voice. She settled on an ironic tone, her favorite for friendly teasing. "I was wondering if we were ever going to see you again."

"Yeah," he muttered, eyes glued to the array of pen scratches on his wooden desk. "Well…" His voice trailed off.

"Yuya?" she said, eyes darting up and down his frame. She leaned in close, reaching her hand out. She hated to see him like this. It reminded her of the old Yuya, the Yuya that hid behind Gongenzaka, the Yuya that would hide his face in his hands when someone mentioned his father. There was something solitary in his sadness now, something familiar. It took her a moment before she realized that it was the same look Yugo had given her when she had told him her name. When he had found out that she was Rin, whoever that was.

She shook her head, refusing to conflate the two. Even if they had the same face, they were different people altogether. That much she had to keep reminding herself.

"Yuya–"

Her words were subsumed as the teacher sauntered in the classroom, eager to begin the lesson. He wrote numbers on the blackboard in chalk, defacing the clean surface with looping white marks. Defeated, Yuzu leaned back and watched the numbers and signs, mysterious and deliberate, fill the board.

Sitting there in class, Yuya found it impossible to concentrate on the lecture. The lecture was primarily based on the formulas that his classmates had learned yesterday, though even if he had been present for that lesson, he didn't imagine paying attention now. There was too much on his mind. That was the problem with life, he thought. There were too many things that could go wrong in the blink of an eye.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

After first period, because of their schedules, Yuzu didn't see Yuya again until lunch. And even then, it was more or less of the same thing as before. Again, she scanned the faces of the students in the cafeteria, coasting up and down the rows of tables, hearing fragments of conversations, sniffing the cornucopia of different foods – takoyaki, curry rice, melon bread. She didn't find him, though she found Gongenzaka at the end of the table maze, hunched over a plate of onigiri in the shape of baby pandas. Exhausted, she took the seat opposite him.

"You were searching for him, right?" he asked, covering his mouth with a hand while chewing the rest of his food.

Yuzu nodded sullenly. "I couldn't find him anywhere."

"Me neither," Gongenzaka said, folding his chopsticks. "I made sure I was the first one here, too. I watched everyone come in but I didn't see him."

"You don't think he went back home, do you?"

"It's hard to say."

Yuzu looked at the lunchbox on her lap, unopened. She had lost her appetite sometime during her search.

"What are we going to do?" Yuzu asked, her voice lost in the plangent din of the cafeteria. She bowed her head, tracing patterns into her lunchbox. "What are we going to do?" she said again.

Gongenzaka dropped his chopsticks on his plate and bowed his head too. They spent the rest of their lunch in silence.

It wasn't until twenty minutes later, at the end of the lunch hour, as Yuzu was walking to her next class, shoved body to body in the cramped hallway, that she saw him. Right there, in plain sight, sitting in the middle of the rainy courtyard, lunchbox in one hand, chopsticks in the other.

Yuya.

Just as the warning bell rang, urging students to scamper to their respective classrooms, Yuya stood. Yuzu tried to turn around, to go back the way she came, to reach him, to speak to him, to sort this mess out, but she was grossly outnumbered. Too many bodies, rushing and racing, pushed against her, forcing her into their current. She was powerless against the push the many.

"Yuya!" she shouted, as he walked into the building. She tried again, "Yuya!" He didn't look. He didn't even bother to shake the rain from his damp clothes. He stood there and dripped on the foyer floor. He was his own safety hazard.

She made the mistake of looking forward, to see where she was heading. The current was moving her in the wrong direction; her class was in the other wing of the edifice. She looked just once, but that was enough. When she looked back, Yuya had become just another body in the sea. She was still standing in the hallway searching for him when the late bell rang.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Yuya and Yuzu had two more class periods together, both sandwiched back-to-back at the end of the school day. Somehow, through sheer willpower, every time Yuzu had tried to initiate a conversation, Yuya had kept his responses monosyllabic and noncommittal. And every time, like a curse, Yuzu was interrupted in the middle of an appeal by a well-meaning but ill-timed teacher.

Yuya caught her off-guard. During the last period of the day, just as the final bell rung, Yuzu crouched down to jam her textbook, notebook, and pencils into her knapsack. The whole thing couldn't have taken more than five seconds, but when she looked up, Yuya was missing.

He sprinted down the halls, bumping students and narrowly missing faculty, who yelled at him to stop running, which only made him run faster. He was almost home free, could almost taste the solitude of his bed. He had made it through the day without having to confront his problems. He could keep doing it. He could get used to it. It would be hard at first, but life would get better. He knew that very well, better than most.

He was thinking this when he landed flat on his back in the rain. He winced, feeling a searing pain shoot up his spine, and looked to the person he had run into. Like earlier, panic replaced pain.

Gongenzaka stared back at him, arms crossed over his chest, eyebrows set in the fierce shape of disapproval. Yuya could read Gongenzaka better than that. He could see the patience lying under the surface, the steadfast devotion of his best friend. Gongenzaka had been waiting out here for him this whole time – the look conveyed as much.

"Yuya!" cried the female voice.

By now, Yuzu had caught up to the two. She unsheathed her paper fan and threw it over her head before walking over. She offered Yuya her free hand. He refused, gritting his teeth as he made to stand up.

Gongenzaka stuck his hand out, which Yuya was set to refuse also. Then Gongenzaka bent down and clamped his hand around Yuya's thin wrist, wrapping his fingers around the red wristband.

"Gongenzaka." Yuya stuttered, surprising himself. He hadn't intended to use his friend's name today. He hadn't expected to talk to him at all.

Silently, Gongenzaka plodded forward, his fingers still wrapped around Yuya's wrist. Yuya dug his heels into the ground, but it was no use. There was no way his weight would outmatch Gongenzaka's, no way to get him to stop. He had neither the heart nor energy to scream at the larger boy.

Still, he tried to pull his weight back, tried to stop himself from being dragged to wherever they were going, to no avail. They walked like down from the courtyard, out the front gate, and down the street, the three of them, Gongenzaka leading the way, Yuya being pushed around as if by an officious tour guide, and Yuzu trailing behind, watching her two friends ever-so-quietly.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

It shouldn't have surprised Yuya that Gongenzaka had hauled him here. It shouldn't have surprised him that Gongenzaka managed to go the whole way through without once releasing his wrist or slackening his grip. It shouldn't have surprised him that he had even managed to yank Yuya up the never-ending flight of stairs that led to this place.

And yet it did. All of it surprised him, even now, as he stood in the center of the Gongenzaka Dojo, the legacy of the Gongenzaka family. He was equally as surprised to see, leaning against the dojo's wooden walls, next to the students of Gongenzaka Dojo, his friends from You Show: Dennis, Futoshi, Ayu, and Tatsuya.

He was most surprised – astonished, really – when Gongenzaka let go of his arm.

"Duel me," he said, his first words to Yuya all day. He reached behind his back, slipped his boxy Duel Disk from his sash, and fixed it to his arm.

"What?" Yuya said. "You dragged me all the way up here just for a duel?" He pointed to the others. "And what are they doing here anyway?"

Moving to the sidelines with the other You Show students, Yuzu watched the two of them. They had dueled dozens of times, hundreds, thousands maybe. But now, in the harsh light of Gongenzaka Dojo, she saw something new in Gongenzaka's eyes, a brilliant, inextinguishable passion. He was trying to communicate something.

"At any rate, I refuse," said Yuya. "I don't want to duel you, Gongenzaka. I don't want to duel anyone."

He turned around, making his way for the door. Like Yuzu, Gongenzaka had made the mistake of releasing him. The moment his grip left Yuya's arm, he relinquished his control. Now Yuya was calling the shots.

He was halfway to the door when the sound of a gong, loud as a car crash, filled the room. Yuya cupped his hands to his ears, felt a chill run down his spine. He turned in the direction of the offending noise. His eyes met with the fiery brown eyes of Gongenzaka's father. The man, shorter than Yuya, held a perennial look of consternation and disappointment, and today was no exception. The thin lips underneath his mustache were curved into a scowl, the same arch as his bushy eyebrows.

"My son, Noboru, has brought you up here and challenged you to a match between men," the old man said, nodding in deference to his child. "As a fellow man – no, as a fellow Duelist – it would be dishonorable to refuse his steadfast challenge. You would be disgracing Gongenzaka Dojo, the very place where you stand."

"That's right, Yuya," Gongenzaka said. "A challenge between men should be honored. As your best friend, I, the man Gongenzaka, am requesting a serious duel."

Yuya bit his lip. It was one thing to refuse Gongenzaka, but for him to bring his father into the fray was something else entirely. This was his fight, his war, and he had to learn to pick his battles. He thought he might start doing that today.

And so he continued toward the door. He held his head up, trying to salvage what was left of his pride. He grabbed the door handle.

Gongenzaka's voice stuffed the air: "Fine, then. Run away like a coward. Just like your father!"

Time froze. Ayu and Futoshi exchanged a glance of disbelief. Dennis blinked twice, mouth agape. Gongenzaka's father hung his head. Rain splattered the roof of Gongenzaka Dojo. Somewhere in the distance, a clap of thunder rolled along. The building's foundation shook.

Yuya, hand still on the handle, turned only his head around. He had heard it before, time and time again, to the point where he was almost over it. He now, hearing it now, from Gongenzaka of all people, reopened the wound. He felt an overflowing of something in his body, near his heart. Indignation? Shock? "Gongenzaka, you…"

Gongenzaka said, "If you want to run and follow in your father's footsteps, you're free to do so. Go on, then! Get out of this dojo and run like your father!"

"Gongenzaka," Yuzu began, directing the words at him but looking on at Yuya's anguish. When she looked at Gongenzaka, she saw it again, the brilliant spark in his eyes. He was still trying to respond to Yuya, even now.

Yuya tapped his pocket, felt the outline of his deck. His father had given him these cards, entrusted them to him before he left. And now Gongenzaka, who knew this, was making light of the situation. Gongenzaka, who had known all along the hurt that Yuya had had to lock away.

Yuya clenched his fists, grabbed at his cargo pants.

"Fine, then," Yuya said, reaching down and retrieving the folded Duel Disk from his waist. It expanded in a boomerang-shaped tray of red. "Gongenzaka, I accept your duel."

Gongenzaka didn't smile. He simply nodded, and that was that. He raised his arm and shouted, "Now, Principal!"

"Got it!" came Shuzo's voice from the control room above them. "Field Magic, activate! Sword's Graveyard!"

The hardwood flooring and walls of Gongenzaka Dojo faded away, revealing the vast expanse of dead grass and fallen blades where Yaiba and Gongenzaka had fought. The ceiling turned into a somber night sky, cloudless and dangerous.

"Duelists locked in battle!" Gongenzaka said.

"Kicking against the earth and dancing alongside their monsters," said Ayu and Futoshi.

"They storm through this field!" Tatsuya continued.

Dennis said, "Behold, this is the newest and greatest evolution of dueling!"

"Action…" The bubble of Action Cards burst overhead.

"Duel!" Yuya and Gongenzaka declared.

 **(Yuya Sakaki: 4000 LP/Noboru Gongenzaka: 4000 LP)**

"You can take the first turn, Yuya," Gongenzaka said.

His words fell on deaf ears. Yuya was staring at the broken blades on the ground, at the darkened virtual sky – anywhere but at the cards in his hand.

Gongenzaka balled his empty hand into a fist. "To treat your opponent as if they weren't there is inexcusable! No matter the situation, you should always face them head-on, like a man."

His admonishment was met with another bout of silence, much to his chagrin. Frowning, he said, "Very well. If you won't make the first move, I will."

He grabbed a card and threw it down. "I summon Superheavy Samurai Kabuto!"

A plume of smoke appeared and a bulky samurai in black-and-orange armor leapt from it. The monster brandished a weapon in both hands resembling a one-sided sledgehammer. (1000 ATK)

"Attacks cannot be waged on the first turn," he said, trying to recapture Yuya's attention. "As such, my turn is over. Now, come at me, Yuya!"

Yuya shut his eyes, gritting his teeth. It seemed there was no stopping the duel until a victor was declared. When he reopened his eyes he fixed them on the leftmost card in his hand, Entermate Pendulum Magician.

 _If I Special Summon this guy,_ he thought, _I can use its effect to add more Pendulum Monsters to my hand to do a Pendulum Summon._

A spark of memory ignited within Yuya, his dream again. In his mind's eye he saw Reiji's Pendulum Monsters staring him down. He felt the fear in his heart pounding against his chest, his lungs, his ribs.

 _No._ He shook his head, and in that very moment his resolve was steeled, his already actions decided. If Reiji could do that, if Pendulum Summoning was no longer exclusive to him, then he wouldn't use it. He would find a new way of dueling, one that truly was unique. His own way.

"Fine. It's my turn," Yuya said. "Draw."

He looked at the card he'd drawn and then at Gongenzaka's field. _His monster only has 1000 ATK. If I play this card, I can inflict some big damage_ , he thought.

He tentatively placed the card on his Duel Disk. "I summon Entermate Friendonkey."

A ring of white light formed and a donkey surfaced, braying as it landed on its white-furred legs. Attached to its back was a maroon saddle with bronze strapping, and attached to either side of the saddle was a giant pink chest with a golden star in the middle. (1600 ATK)

Yuya looked at Entermate Pendulum Magician again. Then he reached for the card beside it. "When Normal Summoned, Friendonkey allows me to Special Summon a Level Four or lower Entermate Monster from my hand or Graveyard. I Special Summon Entermate Longphone Bull!"

Friendonkey's pink box popped open and, like a magic trick, a hunchbacked monster sprang from it. It was a blue longhorn bull, wearing a burgundy vest and white pants. Two small pink horns spiked up from its head, behind which sat an old-fashioned telephone receiver, gold at both ends. (1600 ATK)

"Furthermore, Longphone Bull's monster effect activates," said Yuya. "When it's Special Summoned, I can add a non-Pendulum Entermate monster from my deck to my hand."

Gongenzaka leaned forward and parroted "Non-Pendulum?" as though begging Yuya to repeat himself.

A new card lunged from Yuya's deck. "I add Entermate Sleight Hand Magician to my hand."

Then he placed it with the others and turned to Gongenzaka's monster. "All right, like this I…"

"At this moment, I activate Superheavy Samurai Kabuto's effect!"

Kabuto dropped to its knees, holding its sledgehammer out defensively. (2000 – 2500 DEF)

"When my opponent successfully Special Summons a monster" – Gongenzaka indicated Longphone Bull – "I can change Kabuto to Defense Position and increase its DEF by 500, until the End Phase."

"Shoot! None of big bro Yuya's monsters are strong enough to defeat it now," Futoshi said.

"With the number of times that we've dueled, you should have seen this effect coming, Yuya," Gongenzaka said, arms crossed over his chest again. "This is a serious duel, one in which both duelists must give everything they've got. It's inexcusable to even think of holding back against your opponent, no matter who they are!"

Yuya looked Gongenzaka in the eye, unflinching. "Yeah, you're right, Gongenzaka," he said, more forcefully than before. "If you want a serious duel, fine. I won't hold back. That's why I'm going to finish this duel right now!"

Gongenzaka's arms slackened and dropped to his side. It wasn't like Yuya to utter a statement so confident or haughty, especially not on his first turn.

Yuya said, "At this time, I release Entermate Friendonkey" – Friendonkey took a bow as its body dissolved – "In order to Special Summon Entermate Sleight Hand Magician from my hand!"

Taking Friendonkey's place was an enormous monster, wearing the quintessential outfit of a court jester – a wavy red cloak with shiny baubles, a two-sided fool's cap with purple feathers on the left, and a black cape with a gold-and-white underside. It wielded in one hand a staff with an oblong orb on the tip. In the other hand were four clear marbles, wedged between the gaps in its bony blue fingers. Its lower body was shaped like a sparkling blue crystal, complete with angel wings. (2500 ATK)

"But how does that help him?" Ayu asked, drawing the attention of the two boys beside her. "That new monster has the same ATK as Gongenzaka's monster's DEF."

Tatsuya and Futoshi rested their chins on their index fingers and considered Ayu's observation.

"Sleight Hand Magician can be Special Summoned by sacrificing a non-Pendulum Entermate monster," Yuya said. "And now I'm going to use its other effect: Once per turn, I can discard a card from my hand to destroy a face-up card on the field!"

Holding true to his new self-promise, he discarded Entermate Pendulum Magician, saying, "Naturally, the card I choose to destroy is Superheavy Samurai Kabuto!"

One of the marbles in Sleight Hand Magician's grasp, the one sandwiched in between its index and middle finger, began to glow. It flung the marble forward, and it exploded when it reached Gongenzaka's field.

Yuya nodded. "Now you have no monsters defending you. Like this, I can…Huh?"

He could barely make out a silhouette in the dying smoke. Sure enough, when the haze vanished, Gongenzaka's monster sat in the same position, protected by a red bubble. (2500 – 1700 DEF)

"Before your monster's effect hit," said Gongenzaka, as his Graveyard slot swallowed a card, "I activated the effect of the Superheavy Samurai Soulfire Suit in my hand. By discarding it and reducing my monster's DEF by 800 until the End Phase, Kabuto can't be destroyed this turn."

Yuya wrinkled his nose. "I end my turn," he said, unable to mask the dissatisfaction in his voice.

"At this moment, both the effects of Kabuto and Soulfire Suit end, and Kabuto's DEF returns to normal," said Gongenzaka, as Kabuto's DEF reverted to 2000.

Then Gongenzaka lifted his arm, placing his Duel Disk in front of his face. "Draw!" he shouted, summoning a strong gust of wind as he did just that.

"From my hand, I equip Superheavy Samurai Soularbitrator to Superheavy Samurai Kabuto!"

A bronze tunic dropped from the sky and fell onto Kabuto, wrapping around its body. Four extra arms protruded from the armor, each with wiggling mechanical fingers.

"Soularbitrator prevents my opponent from attacking any monster I control that isn't the equip target," Gongenzaka said.

Tatsuya shook his head. "He only has that one monster, though. Why would he play that now?"

"No," Yuya said from the battlefield. His body stiffened. "That's not that card's only effect."

"That's correct," said Gongenzaka. "With Soularbitrator's additional effect, by sending it and the equipped monster to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon a Superheavy Samurai monster from my deck. I release Kabuto to summon Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei!"

All four of Soularbitrator's hands clapped together in a prayerlike fashion. Then a green beam of light appeared and swallowed the two Superheavy Samurai monsters, and Big Benkei stood where they had been, weapon readied in one hand. (3500 DEF)

"I told you before that this is a serious duel, Yuya," Gongenzaka said. "If you're not going to hold back on me like you said, I'll treat you to the same honor."

Yuya looked at his friend, as if seeing him for the first time. "Gongenzaka…"

Gongenzaka played another card from his hand. "I summon Superheavy Samurai Blue Brawler!"

A basic blue machine materialized, arms designed like bulky kick pads. The engines on its back, strapped by a metal coil around its waist, rumbled. (0 ATK)

"When summoned, Blue Brawler can change its battle position."

The monster crossed its arms over its body. (2000 DEF)

"Big Benkei allows all Superheavy Samurai monsters to attack while in Defense Position," Gongenzaka added. "I attack Entermate Longphone Bull with Superheavy Samurai Blue Brawler!"

Blue Brawler aimed a fist at its helpless foe. The machine released a grunt of steam and launched the limb forward, and the knuckles pierced through the longhorn's chest and sailed out its back.

 **(Yuya: 3600 LP/Gongenzaka: 4000 LP)**

"Continuing, I'll use Big Benkei to attack Entermate Sleight Hand Magician!"

Big Benkei beat the ground with its fist, sending forward a shockwave of flames. As the attack marched on, the impact shook the field like an earthquake, sending up a swarm of dirt and dust. And there was something else suspended in the murky air.

"An Action Card!" Ayu cried.

"And it's near big bro Yuya!" Futoshi exclaimed.

"Go for it, big bro Yuya!" Tatsuya said.

Yuya had only made it a few steps before he stopped in his tracks, paralyzed by another thought. This, too, had been like his duel against Reiji, hadn't it? He'd gone for the Action Card then, as now, but it hadn't helped. How could he be so sure that this one would?

And in that moment, he knew the answer, clear as day: He couldn't be sure. And alongside this realization came another thought: If he was going to reinvent his style completely, he would have to throw out _all_ of the old to make way for the new.

And another promise: If Pendulum Cards were verboten, so, too, were Action Cards.

As this thought occurred to him, Big Benkei's attack charred Sleight Hand Magician to cinders.

 **(Yuya: 2600 LP/Gongenzaka: 4000 LP)**

"Eh?" Ayu, Futoshi, and Tatsuya stood in disbelief. Had that actually happened or had they collectively imagined it? No, they saw that Yuya's Life Points were lower now, but they just couldn't understand why.

"Yuya," Yuzu said under her breath.

Gongenzaka also wore a look of bewilderment. It seemed as though he might say something, might accuse Yuya of not playing seriously, but if he had been thinking that, he kept it to himself. He pursed his lips and said, "Turn end."

Yuya stood there for a while in the middle of the field. He looked down at his barren Duel Disk, then at the three cards in his hand. "Draw," he said flatly.

He turned the card over, frowning when he saw it. Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon.

 _If I put Odd-Eyes in my Pendulum Scale, I can search for another Pendulum Monster,_ he thought. Then he remembered why he wouldn't be doing that, and why he wouldn't be playing Odd-Eyes at all. He made a face but decided to stick to his plan, grabbing his other three cards.

"I summon Entermate Amenboat, set two cards facedown, and end my turn."

Two cards appeared behind the insect with the gondola on its back. (500 ATK)

Gongenzaka looked at the card in Yuya's hand. A funny feeling danced in the pit of his gut. Nevertheless, he suppressed the feeling, whatever it was, and drew his card, slamming it down on his Duel Disk. "I summon Superheavy Samurai Swordsman!"

Another machine dressed in shogun armor appeared, this one blazing red. Its left arm was gaunt and fashioned into a mallet. It brandished a halberd in its right hand. Various sheathed swords were strapped to its back. (1000 ATK)

"Like Blue Brawler, Swordsman can also switch its battle position when summoned."

The monster knelt, halberd steadied across its chest. (1800 DEF)

"Now it can attack Entermate Amenboat through Big Benkei's effect. Go, Swordsman!"

Swordsman gave the air a swift horizontal slash with its halberd, sending forth a blustering wind.

"Entermate Amenboat's monster effect," Yuya said. "When attacked, I can change it to Defense Position to negate the attack."

Amenboat bent its six legs, crouching and pushing its gondola defensively upward.

"That won't stop me," Gongenzaka said. "Superheavy Samurai Blue Brawler, attack Amenboat!"

Blue Brawler's fist sailed forward again with the steadiness of a torpedo, and it punched a hole clean through the center of Amenboat's gondola, destroying the monster.

Gongenzaka looked across the field, staring into Yuya's eyes. He wanted to make his message clear. "This duel is over, Yuya!" he said. "I attack directly with Big Benkei!"

Big Benkei performed its usual ground-punch routine, sending the flaming blast Yuya's way.

Yuya quickly tapped a button on his Duel Disk. "Trap Card, activate! Entermate Call!"

A rainbow barrier circled him, absorbing Big Benkei's attack like a sponge. He said, "I negate your attack and add two Entermate monsters with a combined DEF of 1000 or less to my hand."

He searched through his deck, searching for almost a minute for the right monsters.

"I add the 900 DEF Entermate Whip Viper and 0 DEF Entermate Rain Goat to my hand."

Gongenzaka stared at the two cards for a while. "Those aren't Pendulum Monsters either," he said under his breath. "Just what are you trying to pull, Yuya?"

Yuya clicked another button on his Duel Disk, and his second facedown turned over.

"Next, I activate the Quick-Play, Illusion Balloon! Because an Entermate monster was destroyed, I can check the top five cards of my deck and choose to Special Summon an Entermate monster."

Five balloons formed in a line before Yuya. Each popped within a second of each other, revealing the lineup: Smile World, Wisdom-Eye Magician, Magician of Chronomancy, Smile Potion, and, finally, Entermate Drumming Kong.

"All right, he got one!" Futoshi cheered.

"Pulling a miracle out of his hat at the last possible moment," Dennis said with a chuckle. "As expected of a true entertainer."

Yuya looked at the cards closely. Folding them in a neat stack, he then shoved them into his deck holster and hit the shuffle button, scattering all five cards.

"Eh?" came the stunned reaction from the spectators.

Gongenzaka frowned, his suspicions confirmed. "Yuya, you…"

"I choose not to Special Summon a monster," Yuya said, not daring to meet Gongenzaka's gaze.

"You're not using your Pendulum Monsters," Gongenzaka said, more fact than question. "This whole duel you haven't played one of them. Am I right?"

Yuya kicked at a patch of dirt, watched the resulting cloud of dust scuff his shoes.

"Just as I thought, after your duel with Reiji, you…" Gongenzaka's voice tapered off. He looked at Yuya for a few moments more, then said, dejected, "I end my turn."

Yuya silently drew his card, hand shaking as he did. Gongenzaka had seen right through his ruse with the swift efficiency of a troublemaking heckler revealing a magician's secrets in front of his audience. Yuya knew it shouldn't have come as such a surprise. Best friends were able to tell when things were amiss, weren't they? Hadn't he himself been able to discern the recent change in Yuzu's behavior?

Still, even though Gongenzaka had caught on to his ploy, it only served to cement Yuya's desire to stick to his new way of dueling. He had been caught red-handed, sure, and now the only thing he could do was continue the duel the way he'd started it, without his Pendulum Monsters.

"I summon Entermate Whip Viper."

A hoop of light brought forth the hissing purple reptile. (1700 ATK)

"I activate Whip Viper's effect to switch Big Benkei's ATK and DEF until the End Phase."

Whip Viper shook its tail like a metronome, hitting Big Benkei with a white shockwave of energy. (3500 – 1000 DEF)

"I see!" Tatsuya said, hitting his open palm with a fist. "Big Benkei is what's allowing Gongenzaka's monsters to attack while in Defense Position. If big bro Yuya destroys it, that strategy will crumble along with it!"

"Go, Whip Viper," Yuya commanded. "Attack Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei!"

Whip Viper slinked forward, fangs bared.

Gongenzaka turned a card over in his hand before sending it to the Graveyard. "I discard and activate the effect of Superheavy Samurai Blowtorch!"

A red blowtorch, with seven roaring flames flying from it, appeared behind Blue Brawler.

"When an attack is declared while I have no Spell or Trap Cards in my Graveyard," Gongenzaka said, "I can discard Blowtorch in order to redirect my opponent's attack to a Superheavy Samurai monster of my choosing. Naturally, I choose the 2000 DEF Superheavy Samurai Blue Brawler!"

Blue Brawler suddenly stepped in between Whip Viper and Big Benkei, and Whip Viper's teeth sank into it instead. Its teeth chipped on the metal and the snake hissed as Blue Brawler grabbed it by its tail and tossed it back to Yuya, who received the backlash damage.

 **(Yuya: 2300 LP/Gongenzaka: 4000 LP)**

"Furthermore, Superheavy Samurai Swordsman's effect activates," Gongenzaka added. "After a Superheavy Samurai monster is involved in a battle, the opposing monster's ATK and DEF are permanently reduced 0!"

Whip Viper cried out as a red aura sapped its energy. (1700 – 0 ATK)

Yuya bit his lower lip; his eyes fell. He took his newly drawn card, set it behind Whip Viper, and declared the end of his turn. "At this moment," he said, "Whip Viper's effect ends."

Big Benkei's armor regained its usual sleek sheen. (1000 – 3500 DEF)

"My turn," Gongenzaka said. "Draw!"

When he made his draw, Gongenzaka brought the card to his face for a good minute, cocking his head and staring at it dubiously, with an air of unfamiliarity that he might give a passing stranger. He ran his fingers along the bottom edges of the card, feeling its newness.

Then he took a deep breath and turned back to Yuya.

"I attack Entermate Whip Viper with Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei!" he said, as Big Benkei sent a finalizing attack at the helpless snake. "This is the end!"

"Big bro Yuya!" cried the three kids. To their left, Yuzu took a couple steps forward, concern filling every area of her eyes.

Yuya thrust his hand forward, crossing-guard-like. "Quick-Play, Super Hippo Carnival!"

Without warning, the sound of festive music filled the room. Steady drumbeats, energetic maracas, sassy tambourines, and fluty whistles echoed on the desecrated battlefield.

"Once activated, I can Special Summon Entermate Discover Hippo from my deck."

Discover Hippo's card emerged from the middle of Yuya's deck. Then it appeared on the field, magenta vest and all. (800 ATK)

"And since it was successfully summoned, the remainder of my field is then filled with Hippo Tokens, which are the only monsters my opponent can target for attacks this turn."

Three similar hippos appeared – gold, green, and blue – wearing thin brassieres and skirts. (0 DEF x 3)

Big Benkei's attack veered to the left, incinerating the green hippo. Following this, at Gongenzaka's behest, Blue Brawler's and Swordsman's attacks impaled the other two hippos.

Gongenzaka stared at his new card again, as if silently, mentally, debating its purpose. He looked in Yuya's general direction, but Yuya could tell that he wasn't looking at him so much as past him, to where the spectators were seated.

"Watch me, Yuya, father," Gongenzaka said to himself. Then, louder, Yaiba's words: " 'You can't win if you're stuck on one path alone.' Someone that I dueled recently taught me that."

Yuya looked up, meeting his best friend's gaze. "Gongenzaka?"

"It's the same in life as in dueling; Toudou Yaiba, I realize that now. Sticking firmly to one believe is a good thing, but it hinders evolution. The world, dueling, everything is constantly evolving. It must evolve. Even Steadfast Dueling…"

He held the card tighter, and even from his point across the Action Field, Yuya could see Gongenzaka's fingers shaking.

"I don't know," Gongenzaka said, "if this is the right path of evolution. But I understand now that there will soon come a time when my – _the –_ old way of thinking won't be enough. To find a new style that moves with the times, to walk the path toward evolution as a duelist, I have to be willing to face the past. That's why I, the man Gongenzaka, have cast off my shell and steeled my heart in order to defeat my best friend here!"

Yuya gritted his teeth, suddenly anxious.

"In order to defeat you, Yuya, I will combine my father's Steadfast Dueling with my own aspirations! I will bring forth a new horizon in Steadfast Dueling!"

He lifted the card above his head.

"Father!" he shouted. "Please reserve your judgement until after you witness this match. To march toward the new era of Steadfast Dueling, this is something that I must do."

And with that, Gongenzaka said something that Yuya never expected from him:

"I set one card facedown and end my turn!"

Sure enough, a facedown card appeared behind Big Benkei in Gongenzaka's Spell/Trap Zone.

With the celebratory music gone, the Action Field was dead quiet, resembling, for the first time since the start of the duel, the graveyard for which it was named.

Yuya was the first to lance the quiet: "Gongenzaka, you…"

With the exception of Dennis, still too new to understand the significance of this development, dazed expressions were exchanged among the You Show Spectators. Then their eyes fell on Gongenzaka's father, sitting cross-legged on a tatami mat, pallid as a ghost. His head was bowed, and they found it impossible to read his expression, to see his mouth underneath the thick whiskered mask of his mustache.

It occurred to Yuya now, in the hush of the dojo, that Gongenzaka had anticipated every development in the duel thus far, even before Yuya had accepted. Gongenzaka had foreseen Yuya renouncing his Pendulum Monsters and Action Cards, had divined the overwhelming advantage that he'd have with half of Yuya's deck unusable. This was Gongenzaka's aim from the beginning, the reason why he'd deliberately diluted his deck with this new card.

He was trying to teach Yuya a lesson. He supposed it worked.

"Evolution, huh?" Yuya said under his breath. He heard again the flicker of his father's voice in his mind. A smile crawled onto his face, and Yuya released the biggest laugh he could muster.

"Yuya," Yuzu said. Then, infected by Yuya's laugh, the first laugh she'd heard from him in days, she laughed too. And soon the sound traveled the perimeter of the dojo, touching Dennis and the You Show kids and even Gongenzaka, until the sound of laughter seemed like a unified voice large enough to speak for all of Maiami City.

Yuya rubbed his nose with an index finger, smiling. "It's my turn now," he said. "I draw!"

Admittedly, Yuya didn't know what to say to Gongenzaka, how best to articulate thanks for his support or say the perfect phrase to bring everything together. So he decided, instead, to let his actions and his cards speak for him.

"I activate Entermate Whip Viper's effect once again, switching Big Benkei's ATK and DEF!"

Big Benkei grunted in response. (3500 – 1000 DEF)

Yuya turned his trump card around. "Then I'll release Entermate Discover Hippo and Entermate Whip Viper to summon Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

The two bowtie-wearing animals vanished in specks of light, replaced by the roaring heterochromatic dragon. Even in the gloomy darkness of the Action Field, Odd-Eyes emitted a beautiful glistering light. (2500 ATK)

Gongenzaka dropped his head, concealing his smile. "Yuya…"

"Without Big Benkei, the foundation of your strategy is nonexistent," Yuya said, aiming a finger at Gongenzaka's ace monster. "I attack Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei with Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! Spiral Strike Burst!"

Odd-Eyes unleashed its torrent of flames at Big Benkei. The heat corroded the warrior's armor, causing it to melt away like hot wax until the monster exploded under the pressure.

"I did it." Yuya wiped the sweat from his forehead with his forearm, satisfied. He even let out a small laugh. It felt good, using his Pendulum Monster like this. It felt right.

The lingering smoke from the attack started to fade, but before it vanished fully, Gongenzaka shouted from behind the haze: "I activate the effect of Superheavy Samurai Soulbeads!"

Gongenzaka's half-visible silhouette sent the last card in his hand to the Graveyard. A beaded necklace materialized in midair.

"When a Defense Position monster I control is destroyed, by sending this card from my hand to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon that monster in Attack Position! Moreover, when summoned, Big Benkei can switch its battle position."

A portal formed on the ground directly underneath the necklace. Big Benkei's hand rose from it, grabbing onto the necklace and lifting up the rest of its body. (1000 ATK – 3500 DEF)

Yuya blinked and felt his smile recede. "That can't be. It's back already."

"That's not all," Gongenzaka reminded him. "Because a Superheavy Samurai monster battled, due to my Swordsman's effect, the ATK and DEF of Odd-Eyes are permanently reduced to 0!"

Odd-Eyes whined as its energy was leeched. (2500 – 0 ATK)

"Odd-Eyes!" Yuya shouted.

"This is the result of a serious, man-to-man duel, Yuya," Gongenzaka said. "I'm glad that you've finally gotten serious. From here on out, the real duel begins."

Yuya looked down at the two cards left in his hand, frowning. He couldn't play anything else. He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth before saying, "I end my turn."

He knew he had to be quick, so as Gongenzaka drew his card, Yuya threw his goggles over his eyes and leapt on Odd-Eyes' back, and the two of them took off in search of Action Cards. The dead grass crunched underfoot as the dragon jumped over the swords on the ground. The exhilarating wind sailed past Yuya's ears in quick whispers, pushing his hair behind his head.

Gongenzaka noticed this, of course, had anticipated it. With his eyes still trained on Yuya, he shouted, "From my hand I equip Superheavy Samurai Soulhorns to Big Benkei!"

The white bodysuit with the blue bull horns strapped itself to Big Benkei. As that happened and Gongenzaka prepared an attack, Yuya, passing a withered oak tree, reached up from his perch on Odd-Eyes' back and grabbed an Action Card stuck between the branches, flipping it over.

Gongenzaka's finger shot straight ahead. "Big Benkei, attack Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

"I activate the Action Magic, Revival, targeting Odd-Eyes!" Yuya declared, slipping the card into his Duel Disk. "This card returns Odd-Eyes' ATK to its original value until the End Phase!"

Odd-Eyes regained its luster, roaring as it kept running forward. (0 – 2500 ATK)

This, too, felt right and natural, using this Action Card. Maybe, he thought in the heat of the moment, maybe it was the Sakaki Yuya way of dueling after all. He said, a little too confidently, "Like this, I can survive Big Benkei's attack."

Gongenzaka shifted his gaze downward, to his facedown card. "Is that what you think?"

"What?"

Gongenzaka looked at his Duel Disk, then tapped a button on it. His facedown card lifted, revealing a Trap Card with a picture of Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei.

"Reverse card, open! I activate Rise to Full Height, targeting Big Benkei!"

A warm blue aura suddenly coated Big Benkei's body. The monster grew in size.

"This Trap Card," Gongenzaka explained, "will reduce its target's DEF to 0 at the end of the turn. But at the time it's activated, Big Benkei's current DEF score is doubled! Big Benkei's current DEF is 3500, meaning…"

(3500 – 7000 DEF)

"7000 Defense Points?" Tatsuya, Ayu, and Futoshi said in unison. "No way!"

"Yuya," Yuzu whispered.

"You've run out of time, Yuya!" Gongenzaka said. "Continue your attack, Big Benkei!"

Big Benkei propelled another wave of fire at Odd-Eyes, who was steady approaching its own demise. Yuya's head darted around the field, desperation locked in the eyes. There were no trees anywhere close, nowhere to reach an Action Card from his current vantage point.

Then he saw it, there on the valley floor to his right. His only chance.

With an unparalleled intrepidness, Yuya released his hold on Odd-Eyes' neck, stood on the monster's spiked back, and jumped. He sailed through the air like an acrobat, gracefully racing the wind to the ground, racing Big Benkei's attack. He arched forward, drawing his head close to his knees, and executed a perfect somersault as his body collided with the ground. With quick precision, he threw his hand out in the middle of his tumble, his fingers just barely gripping the edges of the Action Card, which he threw haphazardly into his Duel Disk, without looking at it.

To his relief, a familiar card appeared on his Duel Disk's screen.

"Action Magic, Miracle! Odd-Eyes isn't destroyed by this battle and I take half the damage!"

The flames hit Odd-Eyes, who screeched and endured them. A hot wind, the backlash of the attack, swooped past the dragon, lifting Yuya off his feet and blowing him back onto the ground. He toppled over, head-first, and rolled fifteen feet back. The grass by his head sizzled like dying fireworks.

As Yuya squirmed to his knees, he saw that Odd-Eyes had stopped moving, had seemed to give up completely, keeling over and allowing Superheavy Samurai Swordsman's effect to take over. (2500 – 0 ATK)

 **(Yuya: 50 LP/Gongenzaka: 4000 LP)**

"I made it through," he said, his mouth running on autopilot as he struggled to pick himself up. His body stung as he maneuvered it. He brushed clingy pieces of grass from his shirt and pants. "Like this, even if it's with only 50 Life Points to my name, I held on."

Gongenzaka's reply was swift, premeditated in its crisp delivery, the type of tone that one might use, Yuya thought, to silence a recalcitrant child: "The monster equipped with Superheavy Samurai Soulhorns can attack twice in the same Battle Phase. Do it, Big Benkei!"

Sure enough, Big Benkei's second attack split the Action Field in two. The ground shook, the tree leaves rattled, and Yuya struggled again to maintain his balance as lava shot up from the opening in the land and rained down. The molten droplets fell on Odd-Eyes, burning the dragon's skin with loud hissing noises. Odd-Eyes roared and fell forward into the chasm, sending a storm of dust, flame, and ash in Yuya's direction.

Gongenzaka waited on the other side of the field, watching the smoke clear. He had attacked before Yuya had a chance to get an Action Card; his victory was all but assured. He listened intently, waiting to hear the duel buzzer that signaled the game's end, waiting to see the rectangular hologram with his face plastered above the caption "Winner."

What he saw, instead, was Yuya standing up straight, his Life Points unchanged.

 **(Yuya: 50 LP/Gongenzaka: 4000 LP)**

"What?" Gongenzaka said, and then he noticed it. Floating above Yuya was a giant purple tapir, sporting a comically small top hat, big googly eyes, and a trunk shaped like an anteater's.

"Before I took the damage from your attack," Yuya said, as his monster began to fade away, "I was able to discard the Entermate Barrier Balloon Baku in my hand. By doing so, the damage from that battle was negated."

Gongenzaka was quiet for a moment, taking stock of the unanticipated turn of events. Then, as if remembering something, he noticed his remaining two monsters. "With Big Benkei in play, I can still attack directly with my other monsters. Go, Blue Brawler!"

The blue machine lined its knuckles up to Yuya's face and propelled its fist forward.

Yuya revealed the last card in his hand, the Entermate Rain Goat that he'd searched with his Trap Card earlier, which he summarily sent to the Graveyard. Barrier Balloon Baku then reappeared, sniffing like a vacuum cleaner. (2000 DEF)

"By discarding an Entermate monster from my hand when I'm targeted for a direct attack, I can Special Summon Barrier Balloon Baku from my Graveyard in Defense Position!"

No sooner had Yuya finished his statement than Gongenzaka, undeterred, said, "Continuing, I attack Entermate Barrier Balloon Baku with Superheavy Samurai Blue Brawler instead."

The fist curved and redirected itself at the purple pachyderm, colliding with the monster's gut. Because both monsters were evenly matched, nothing happened for a few seconds. Then a red aura, courtesy of Gongenzaka's Swordsman, passed over Yuya's monster. (2000 – 0 DEF)

No sooner had that happened than Swordsman itself finished the job, impaling Barrier Balloon Baku with the blade of its halberd, leaving Yuya without any cards on his field or in his hand.

Never one to prolong another duelist's misfortune, Gongenzaka said, "I end my turn. And at this moment, Rise to Full Height's effect ends, and Big Benkei's DEF becomes 0."

Big Benkei shrank back to its original height, but its weapon and the rest of its armor corroded, becoming stippled with dark patches of grainy rust. (7000 – 0 DEF)

"Now, come at me, Yuya," he said again. "Show me the way you plan to evolve."

"Gongenzaka…"

"You were the pioneer of Pendulum Summoning," Gongenzaka said. "Akaba Reiji said it himself. Even if he does have Pendulum Cards now, you were the one who used them first. Therefore, as the person who opened the door to Pendulum, it's up to you to advance its lineage. That's why you have to keep dueling your way, so you – so the future of dueling – can evolve!"

Yuya looked down at his deck, mulling over Gongenzaka's words. His hands found his pendant, which he clutched absentmindedly. He felt the cool crystal against his fingertips.

"I'm responsible for advancing the lineage of Pendulum, huh?" He smiled, which evolved into a chuckle, which evolved into a full-on laugh. When he was done, he touched the top card of his deck, ready to draw. "Right, here I go, then!"

Then he remembered something. He cleared his throat, and in a commanding voice said, "Ladies and gentlemen!"

Gongenzaka nodded, barely able to hide his grin. From the designated spectators' area, the You Show crew broke out into wild cheers. Even Yuzu couldn't help but smile.

"Oh dear! I'm in quite the bind. My opponent," Yuya narrated, "has three powerful monsters on his field. Meanwhile, I have no more cards on my field or in my hand. I'm going to need a miracle to turn this duel around. Will you support me by reaching for that miracle with me?"

Another assenting cheer surfaced in the distance.

"All right, everything is riding on this one draw. Say it with me then, on the count of three!" Yuya said. He counted to three, slowly, and when he said "Draw!" the others joined in.

 _Please come!_ Yuya thought as he drew his card. He almost couldn't believe it what it was.

"Thank you, everyone!" he said. "Thanks to your support, it looks like I've drawn the miracle card. Let's bear witness to it now!"

He placed the card on his Duel Disk, and a single beam of light appeared near his far left.

"The fun has just begun! I, using the Scale 2 Entermate Dag Daggerman, set the Pendulum Scale!"

Floating in the light beam was a black-haired man, dressed in a navy blue suit and pants, with a yellow star motif stitched in. He wore a top hat big enough to cover his upper face, and wedged between his gloved fingers were four sharp daggers, two per hand. (Scale: 2)

"Just one Scale? How's that going to help him?" Futoshi said, scratching his head. The others muttered their agreement, failing to see how this alone could possibly qualify as a miracle.

"You're wasting your time," Gongenzaka said. "You can't do anything with just one Pendulum Monster."

"I wonder about that."

"What?"

"I activate Entermate Dag Daggerman's Pendulum Effect!" Yuya said, motioning to his monster. "On the turn it's set as a Scale, I can add an Entermate monster from my Graveyard to my hand. I return Entermate Friendonkey to my hand, and summon it!"

Friendonkey slid out of Yuya's discard slot, only to reemerge in front of him. (1600 ATK)

"Friendonkey's monster effect: When Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon a low-Level Entermate from my hand or Graveyard."

Gongenzaka racked his brain, trying to predict Yuya's strategy. "I see. You're going to use that effect to revive Entermate Longphone Bull and use its effect to search for another monster, like last time."

Yuya's smile widened. "Using Friendonkey's effect, I Special Summon Entermate Pendulum Magician from my Graveyard!"

Friendonkey's saddle box opened, and the red-robed wizard appeared beside it. (1500 ATK)

"That monster," Gongenzaka said, thinking back. "You mean back then…"

"Yeah," Yuya replied. "It's the one I sent to the Graveyard for Sleight Hand Magician's effect."

Entermate Pendulum Magician swung its pendulum back and forth, sending out visible vibrations. The waves hit Friendonkey and Dag Daggerman, causing both of them to tremble.

"Entermate Pendulum Magician's monster effect," Yuya said. "After it's Special Summoned, by destroying up to two cards on my field, I can add that many Entermate monsters to my hand from my deck."

Friendonkey and Dag Daggerman burst into specks of light, the former of which sank into Yuya's Graveyard while the latter were consumed by his Extra Deck. Then he added two cards, both Pendulum Monsters, to his hand. But he wasn't done.

"Now, I, using the Scale 2 Entermate Rakudown and the Scale 8 Entermate Odd-Eyes Unicorn, set the Pendulum Scale!"

Two pillars of light flanked Yuya now, the left harboring the little heterochromatic unicorn with the pink cotton tail. (Scale: 8)

Hovering in the right was a golden-skinned camel with half-lidded blue eyes and a green star tattooed on its cheek. Dark brown patches stippled the humps on its back. It yawned, producing a large saliva bubble. (Scale: 2)

"Like this, I can summon multiple monsters from Level Three to Level Seven simultaneously!"

Tatsuya's eyes lit up when he noticed the numbers underneath the monsters. "All right! He can bring back Odd-Eyes now!"

A rift formed over Yuya's head, pulsating glowing light. It grew larger as the lights adopted colors: orange and brown.

"Now then, everyone, it's time to feast your eyes on the original Sakaki Yuya Pendulum Summon, and the Entertainment Dueling handed down from the legendary Sakaki Yusho!"

"Pendulum, Pendulum!" shouted Dennis and the You Show kids. The members of Gongenzaka Dojo stared with puzzled profiles.

"Swing, Pendulum of Souls! Draw an arc of light across the ether! Pendulum Summon!"

The three colors manifested into dazzling comets, which fell to the ground as Yuya chanted, "Return from my Extra Deck, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and Entermate Dag Daggerman!"

Odd-Eyes and Dag Daggerman fell on either side of Entermate Pendulum Magician. (2500 and 2000 ATK, respectively)

"Yosh," Yuya said under his breath. He felt a tingle curve down the arc of his spine as he watched his monsters unfurl, watched the fruits of his creation, the Pendulum Summon. "Targeting Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, I activate Entermate Rakudown's Pendulum Effect. Now, the monsters my opponent controls all lose 800 DEF, and Odd-Eyes also gains the ability to inflict piercing damage against Defense Position monsters this turn."

"A piercing effect?" Gongenzaka parroted.

Rakudown yawned again, creating another spit bubble. This one fell down and detonated on Odd-Eyes, gracing it with a faint blue aura.

While this occurred, Superheavy Samurais Blue Brawler and Swordsman groaned as their armor began to rust. (2000 – 1200 and 1800 – 1000 DEF, respectively)

Dennis whistled in amazement. "I guess he wasn't joking about drawing a miracle card," he said, attracting the gazes of the three You Show kids. Dennis added, "With that new piercing effect and with Odd-Eyes' own monster effect, Reaction Force, to double the amount of damage it inflicts, and because Gongenzaka's Trap Card took away Big Benkei's DEF points at the end of his last turn, all it takes is one attack and" – Dennis snapped his fingers to illustrate his point.

"Battle Phase!" Yuya managed to say before being interrupted.

A card ejected from Gongenzaka's Graveyard. He revealed it to be his new Trap Card.

"I activate Rise to Full Height's secondary effect, targeting Superheavy Samurai Blue Brawler," Gongenzaka said. "By banishing this card from my Graveyard, the targeted monster is the only monster my opponent can attack this turn."

"Gongenzaka still has his Swordsman out, too," Tatsuya said, "so if big bro Yuya tries to attack with any of his monsters, they'll be weakened."

"He got rid of his Trap Card like it wasn't even in his deck," Yuya said, more to himself than anyone else. Gongenzaka hadn't diluted his deck's composition after all. He'd found a way to break through the limitations of his deck – no, a way to use those limitations as an advantage. More proof of his ability to evolve, Yuya knew.

"So big brother Yuya can't win this turn?" Ayu asked.

"Darn, and after getting his miracle too," Tatsuya said.

"No, that's not true," Yuzu said, and they were surprised to hear the softness in her voice. They turned to her, eyes inquisitive. She said, "There's still something he can do."

Yuya nodded, as though able to hear Yuzu's thoughts. He would match Gongenzaka's evolution with his own. As the pioneer of Pendulums, he owed his best friend that much. "Watch closely, everyone! It's time for the grand finale!" he said. "I attack Superheavy Samurai Blue Brawler -with Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

"Why?" Tatsuya said. "Even with the combined effects of Odd-Eyes and Rakudown, he'll only inflict 2600 damage."

"That's pointless," Gongenzaka said. "Blue Brawler cannot be destroyed by battle."

"No, it's not pointless," replied Yuya, shaking his head. "At this time, I activate Entermate Odd-Eyes Unicorn's Pendulum Effect! Just once, I can increase the ATK of the attacking Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon by the ATK of an Entermate on my field. I choose the 2000 ATK Dag Daggerman!"

Dag Daggerman snickered as a blue energy surrounded him before transferring to Odd-Eyes. The dragon gratefully accepted the energy and uttered a deafening cry. (2500 – 4500 ATK)

"And when Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon battles an opposing monster, the damage is doubled," Yuya said, with a tone of finality. "Reaction Force!"

Odd-Eyes' spiral of flames doubled in size, scattering pools of liquid blue metal on the dirty ground. The samurai's body disassembled limb by limb, unable to withstand the heat, until it crumpled and exploded, sending the outgoing damage to Gongenzaka, who, try as he might to brace himself, still landed on his backside as the Action Field devolved into the familiar dojo.

 **(Yuya: 50 LP/Gongenzaka: 0 LP)**

Yuya exhaled, holding a hand over his heart. This feeling, this exhilaration, this joy – it could only come from dueling. There was no other sensation like it. And like a missing puzzle piece, he had found it again, the part of himself that he was missing, the part that Reiji had almost taken away completely.

He had been so focused on that, he hadn't heard the applause. He looked over Gongenzaka Dojo, where the students were clapping for the duel. The You Show crew follow suit, showering Yuya with applause and praise. Lurking just underneath the surface of the clapping was Shuzo's animated shouts of "Fire it up some more, Yuya!" and "That's was hot-blooded dueling, Gongenzaka!"

Yuya made his way over to Gongenzaka, still on the floor, and proffered his hand. Gongenzaka took it and pulled forward, though because of his strength, Yuya tipped forward and fell on the floor beside him. "Ow, ow, ow!" Yuya called out, right before the two started laughing.

Gongenzaka sat up and turned to Yuya, his face suddenly solemn and penitent. "I'm sorry about calling your father a coward, Yuya," he said, bowing his head contritely. "I realize that it was unacceptable as a man to bring someone else into a fight between the two of us."

Yuya felt a slight sting – in the heat of the duel, he had forgotten Gongenzaka's provocation. He made a brushing motion with his fingers and said, "No, I'm sorry that I was acting the way that I was. I shouldn't have avoided your calls, either."

"Yuya…"

"You've been training so hard to improve yourself. I'll do the same! I'll train even harder to become as great an Entertainment Duelist as my father was!"

"Yuya…"

"And besides, you're my best friend, Gongenzaka," Yuya said. "Even if Akaba Reiji can Pendulum Summon too, even if I'm not special anymore, I'll always have you guys. No matter what, I'll always forgive you."

Gongenzaka sniffled as his eyes welled up with tears. He rubbed them on his shirt sleeve, then leaned forward, giving Yuya a bone-shattering hug. "Yuya! I, the man Gongenzaka, am truly honored to be your best friend!"

"G-Gongenzaka!" Yuya stammered, feeling the oxygen drain from his body with each syllable.

Yuzu watched the two, smiling from afar. For a moment, she was content. For a moment, she forgot about Yugo, about Sora, about the Xyz user. When Gongenzaka released Yuya, she walked over to the two.

"Yuzu," Yuya began, and without warning, Yuzu brandished her paper fan and whacked him upside the head, leaving stray droplets of rain in his hair. "Ow, ow! Jeez, what was that for?"

"Just in case you ever think of pulling that stunt on us again," she said, and smiled. "You can't entertain people if you're sad. You shouldn't forget to smile."

Yuya stared at her, remembering his mother's words, so close to those: _Wherever you go, remember your smile._ He wondered briefly if the two had talked about that together over the phone. Yuzu had called, after all, or so his mother had said. Though he still didn't understand why she hadn't called him. He made a note to ask her later, when they were alone, when there was more privacy.

"Heh, you're right, Yuzu," Yuya said. With a spry back handspring, he brought himself back to his feet. "I can't make my dad proud if I don't make others smile. That's why…That's why I'm going to evolve too, and I'll be strong enough to make everyone smile." His voice sank low as he added, "Even Akaba Reiji."

With one last standing ovation from Gongenzaka Dojo's students, those happy-faced duelists in white karate uniforms, Yuya turned and took a bow. Then he led the rest of his You Show crew to the door. When he opened it, he was surprised to see how bright it was. The rainclouds had passed on and the sun illuminated the cracks and crevices of the dojo. The stone steps on the flight of stairs, the water leaking from the gate, droplets dropping from the evergreen trees. The world looked halfway repainted, trapped in a duality of warm honey yellow and cold winter blue. But for now, it was warmer, and out ahead, Yuya could see a rainbow forming.

He ambled down the dojo's path, smiling with each step he took.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

"Jeez, are you even trying?" Masumi said, right as she defeated Yaiba for the third time in a row. The Solid Vision faded, and with it went the fleeting figure of Gem-Knight Master Diamond, as well as the Crystal Corridor Action Field.

"Of course I'm trying!" Yaiba shouted, flustered. He reshuffled his deck at breakneck speed.

"It sure didn't look like it from where I'm standing," said their friend, a tall boy with a shock of purple hair held together by a gold Big Dipper star pin. He ran a finger through his hair, giving a haughty shrug of his shoulders. "I mean, she didn't lose a single Life Point."

"Shut up, Hokuto!" said Yaiba. "You lost to her _four_ times yesterday, remember?"

"Hmph. Comparing me to yesterday is like comparing the Sengoku and Edo Periods," the boy, Hokuto, said. "I'm fifty – no, sixty – no, one hundred times stronger than I was the day before."

"Then why don't you duel her again and prove it?" Yaiba goaded.

"You think I won't?"

"Idiots," Masumi said under her breath. She removed the deck from her Duel Disk and replaced it in her pocket. Then she clicked a button on her Duel Disk, retracting its tray, and settled the device on her hip. "You two can duel against yourselves. I'm done for the day. I have other things to take care of."

"Man, what a wet blanket," Yaiba muttered, earning one of Masumi's famous "What-Did-You-Say looks.

Hokuto chuckled. "Now you've done it."

Masumi let that one slide. "See you," she said, plain and simple. The other two murmured a weak goodbye, watching as she walked out the door of the Dueling Room.

She had only taken two steps outside the building when she saw him, staring her down. Well, she couldn't be sure he was staring at her – his sunglasses were dark, even in the sudden glow of day. She couldn't see where his eyes were directed, though his head was certainly angled her way.

He stood in the way, blocking her exit. Sure, she could move around him, but there was something standoffish about the way he presented himself, this man in his tattered trench coat. It was like he was looking for trouble.

"Do you have business here?" Masumi asked.

"You came from that building," the man – Shun – said, not as a question but as a fact, an irrefutable truth. Which it was. "You're LDS." Another fact.

Masumi didn't deign to respond to his statements. He had obviously seen her exit from the building, and she was obviously wearing her LDS badge, right there, in plain sight, below her left shoulder.

"Do you have business here?" she said again, growing bored. What was perhaps an interesting idea earlier, a duel with this man, if he was a duelist at all, now seemed like a waste of her time.

He said nothing.

Her boredom grew insurmountable. She took her things and sidestepped him, moving to the left to pass him, but he mirrored her, blocking her again.

"You're LDS," he said again. He was sure of it now, looking at her from behind his sunglasses. Yes, there was no mistaking it. This was the one he had seen yesterday. This was the girl who he had watched defeat Ruri.

He pushed his glasses up, revealing yellow, birdlike eyes. "Duel me," he said.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

OCG/Anime/Custom Cards Shown In This Chapter –

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Revival (Spell)**

Normal Spell/Action Card

Image: A monster descending from an otherworldly portal in the sky, as four apparitions encircle it.

Effect: Target 1 monster on the field whose ATK is different from its original ATK; its ATK becomes its original ATK, until the end of this turn.

Note: This card was first used by Yuya Sakaki in Episode 113 of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V." Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Author's Note: The mysterious Shun finally begins his all-out attack. Fueled by his hatred of LDS and rage at a misunderstanding, he launches a full-force attack on the students and staff, starting with LDS' top Fusion User, Kotsu Masumi. Trapped in a battle where neither duelist will back down, the only conclusion is… Find out what happens next time!


	12. The Falcon Strikes

**Chapter 12: The Falcon Strikes**

 **0-0-0-0-0**

"What?" Masumi said, wondering if she had heard him right. She stared into his eyes, the color of honey. His skin was a pale white, almost sickly. The sun played tricks on her eyes, making his blue hair appear more lustrous than natural. His lanky body drew closer to her, trapping her against the LDS entrance.

"Duel me right now," he said again, the words unmistakable. They were a command, not a request.

Masumi put one hand on her hip. "And just why should I do that?"

She sized him up, running her eyes up and down his body like a scanner. She hadn't seen him around the school – or at all, for that matter – and he didn't have an LDS badge on his person. What was he doing here at LDS then? He was still holding out his sunglasses, aiming the frames at her like a gun. He wore a bandana to cover his mouth, though she knew from his demeanor and the pitch of his voice that he wasn't smiling.

Shun said nothing in response. Masumi was fine with the silence. She had learned from an early age to read people not through their words or actions but through their eyes, a lesson her father had taught her well. Everything about a person – their past, present, future, their accomplishments, their hopes and aspirations and fears – was reflected in their eyes, two little personalized lie detector tests.

That was how she knew, from the moment he had removed his sunglasses, that something was different. His eyes were unlike any she had seen before, clouded with a mist of hurt and determination and anger. They were unlike Hokuto's or Yaiba's, or even Yuzu's eyes from the day before. She could see nothing concrete in them, no revelations about this man's character, just vague apparitions of his former struggles, phantoms of his history. This man was an anomaly, a mystery. That intrigued her. She wanted to know more.

This, she believed, was what caused her to relent.

"Well, fine," she said. "I accept your challenge."

If Shun was surprised by Masumi's hasty change of heart, his eyes didn't divulge it. Turning his back to LDS, he said, "Follow me," then started down the sidewalk.

Masumi ignored the growing trepidation in her stomach, forcing it down like a bad taste, and with a final glance over her shoulder, shadowed him down the sidewalk. The sun mingled with her nerves, sending tiny beads of sweat down her cheeks. She wondered if she was making the right choice. They walked in silence, the two of them, Masumi always five tentative steps behind Shun's hurried stride.

The LDS doors popped open and Yaiba and Hokuto spilled out of the edifice, racing to the sidewalk. They had been hiding in the main lobby spying on Masumi, and though Leo Duel School's soundproof glass doors prevented them from hearing the brief conversation, they clearly saw Masumi take off with a stranger. Now they looked down the sidewalk where, at the last moment, they saw the two, tiny as ants, round a corner and disappear.

"Who was that guy?" Hokuto asked.

Yaiba scratched his head with the end of his wooden katana. "Hell if I know. Did you get a good look at him?"

"As good a look as I'm ever going to get," Hokuto said, squinting in the sunlight. He was still looking down the street as if expecting Masumi to retrace her steps. "I didn't like the way he looked at her, though. Do you think we should follow them?"

"Jeez, Hokuto, you worry too much, you know that?" Yaiba said. He threw his hands behind his head and stared at the sky. He smiled, revealing a sharp canine tooth, and said, "Masumi's a tough one. She can definitely take care of herself."

Hokuto offered a noncommittal grunt and kicked at a crack in the sidewalk. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. Then, almost as if he couldn't stop himself, he said, "Do you think that guy was Masumi's boyfriend?"

Yaiba looked taken aback, dropping his katana. He caught it just before it hit the ground, scooping it in both hands clumsily. "What the hell are you asking me for?" he said, stammering. "What kind of question is that? I've never seen that guy in my life!"

"Me either," Hokuto said, looking away from Yaiba. Storm clouds drifted to the next town over. Hokuto's cheeks felt red hot; he wished he hadn't asked the question now. "I've never seen him either," he said again. He turned back to Yaiba, his face suddenly grave. "That's what worries me."

Yaiba frowned, glancing once more down the street where Masumi was last seen.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

She hadn't just wanted to know about Shun's past. There was another reason why Masumi had accepted this duel.

For days now she'd been scouring the city, searching up and down back alleys, going through less-than-reputable districts, staying out so late some nights that she missed dinner. But it was worth it, she told herself. It was worth it to find out where Professor Marco had gone. If she could find him, she knew, everything would be all right again.

It had started last Monday when Professor Marco hadn't shown up to class, the first absence in his ten years of notorious perfect attendance. Masumi hadn't thought anything of it at first, and even when he was gone Tuesday and Wednesday, she thought he might have just been sick, though the last time she'd seen him, his eyes were anything but those belonging to a man about to suffer from an incoming illness.

After a whole week of rotating substitute teachers, she began to panic. She'd even requested to see Akaba Reiji himself, demanding answers to Professor Marco's nonattendance, fearing that he had been fired.

That's why she had declined Hokuto's challenge earlier. When she'd left LDS, she was going to search for Professor Marco again. She knew it was an unhealthy mission that she'd assigned herself, just as she knew she was too stubborn to give up her search. She wouldn't stop looking for Professor Marco until she found him, no matter the cost to her own health. All she could do was distract herself until the urge to search for him struck. As far as she was concerned, that was all this duel was – a distraction.

She had been walking idly, following Shun without paying much heed to her surroundings, so when he stopped moving, she was jarred back into reality. She glanced around, trying to glean where he'd hauled her. Thankfully she recognized the Maiami City warehouse district. They were at the harbor, where the water splashed against the pavement of the port and the boats rocked gently. In the sunset, it struck Masumi as oddly scenic, a more appropriate place for an cruise than a duel.

Nonetheless, a duel is what they'd come for, as evinced by Shun grabbing the Duel Disk from his waist and strapping it onto his arm. With his free hand, he unwrapped the bandana from his face, revealing the hard line of his mouth. No smile, as she expected.

Masumi hooked her own Duel Disk to her arm, watching as the orange tray popped out like a boomerang.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Kurosaki Shun," he said. "Remember it well."

"I'm Kotsu Masumi of the LDS Fusion Course," she said. She thought she saw his scowl deepen after saying it. Then she remembered. "What were you doing at LDS earlier?"

"I was looking for you." Shun said it as though the information were boring, something he'd been forced to memorize.

She wasn't sure she had heard him right. "You were looking for me?"

"There's something I need to see for myself. I needed you for that."

Masumi shook her head, lost in the cryptic nature of Shun's words. "What do you mean?"

Shun drew his cards, refusing to say any more.

"What do you mean?" Masumi said again, and again she received no answer.

She looked at her Duel Disk. Something about Shun was disconcerting. She had half a mind to call Hokuto and Yaiba, but decided against it. If he didn't attend LDS, he must've attended one of the other, lower duel schools. Well, she figured, a win was a win, whether it was from a strong opponent or not. Maybe she'd at least have fun, like she had against Yuzu. Not that she would admit it.

She drew her five cards, looking from then to Shun. She gave a slight nod.

"Duel!" they shouted.

 **(Masumi Kotsu: 4000/Shun Kurosaki: 4000 LP)**

"The first move is mine," Shun said, studying the cards in his hand.

Masumi watched him closely, scrutinizing his every movement. Why had he been so insistent on dueling her? What was his motivation? In spite of the questions plaguing her mind, she had no doubts about this duel's outcome, about her victory. There was never any question about it.

"I summon Raid Raptors – Vanishing Lanius."

A mechanized bird appeared before Shun. Its wings were streaked green and covered in pipe-shaped fuel burners. Gold bulbs popped from its body. In the center of its silver chest plate was a red insignia, fashioned to resemble a proud bird in flight – the Raid Raptors crest. (1300 ATK)

"Then I set one card facedown. Turn end," he said, and a card briefly popped behind the bird.

Something wasn't right. The sun shone above her head, radiant, inviting. Despite the rain earlier, the city was balmy. They weren't playing on Action Field, so why could she feel the wind coming toward her? What was this sudden chill? Masumi looked askance at the monster.

She knew better than to ask. She was amazed enough that this Kurosaki character had announced his moves at all. For him to say anything more than what was necessary was likely out of the question.

"It's my turn," said Masumi, hand on her deck. "Draw!"

She regarded her draw, Gem-Knight Fusion, with a smirk. That was it; the duel was over already.

"From my hand, I activate the Spell Card, Gem-Knight Fusion!"

Shun bristled, poised as if prepared for a scuffle. His scowl deepened. His grip on his cards tightened, leaving tiny crease marks. He uttered the word as if it pained him to do so: "Fusion..."

Masumi revealed two more cards in her hand. "With this Spell, I can perform a Fusion Summon using the monsters in my hand. I fuse Gem-Knight Tourmaline and Gem-Knight Obsidian!"

The two Gem-Knight warriors, one gold, one black, appeared behind Masumi, mixing together.

"Gem tinged with lightning. Sharp jet-black darkness. In a whirlpool of light, combine to bring forth a dazzling radiance!"

A portal tore through the sky, jettisoning the lustrous form of Masumi's Fusion Monster, Gem-Knight Topaz. It held its tonfas close to its chest, ready to strike. (1800 ATK)

Shun felt vindicated now, seeing the monster. There it was. There was no mistaking it now – LDS was in fact the enemy. There was no mistaking it – this was the same monster and the same girl who had defeated Ruri after all. Good – no, perfect. He would make this girl feel the same way Ruri must have felt, alone and hopeless and afraid. Only then he would get his answers. This he swore.

Masumi reached for her discard slot. "Gem-Knight Obsidian, when sent to the Graveyard from my hand, lets me Special Summon a low-Level Normal Monster from my Graveyard. Come, Gem-Knight Tourmaline!"

The warrior in the thunder armor stood beside Gem-Knight Topaz. Standing side by side, they looked like brothers, one a shrunken version of the other. (1600 ATK)

"The duel ends here," Masumi said in that cavalier tone of voice that had taken her years to perfect. "Gem-Knight Topaz's effect allows it to attack twice during the Battle Phase. Moreover, when it destroys an opponent's monster, that player is dealt damage equal to their monster's original ATK. You can't win anymore."

Shun said nothing. He stared at her, taunting her, torturing her with his resolute silence.

Glaring, Masumi declared her Battle Phase. "I use Gem-Knight Topaz to attack Raid Raptors – Vanishing Lanius!"

Gem-Knight Topaz thrust one tonfa forward, directing a bolt of lightning at the bird.

"Trap, activate," said Shun, tapping his Duel Disk. "Raid Raptors – Readiness!"

A thin blue bubble wrapped around his monster and absorbed the shock.

"This card prevents my Raid Raptors monsters from being destroyed by battle this turn."

"However, you still take damage."

The backlash brushed back, sending a cloud of dust and smoke at Shun. He didn't flinch once as his Life Points fell.

 **(Masumi: 4000 LP/Shun: 3500 LP)**

"Additionally," Masumi said, "Gem-Knight Topaz can attack again. Go, Gem-Knight Topaz!"

The second tonfa shot a second lightning bolt, which was absorbed for a second time.

 **(Masumi: 4000 LP/Shun: 3000 LP)**

"Gem-Knight Tourmaline will attack Vanishing Lanius too."

Gem-Knight Tourmaline brought its hands together. A ball of electricity formed between its hands, which it pitched at Vanishing Lanius. The bubble surrounding the monster cracked and broke under the weight of the attack, but the bird inside remained unscathed.

 **(Masumi: 4000 LP/Shun: 2700 LP)**

"So you managed to save yourself?" Masumi said, unimpressed. A facedown card formed behind her Fusion Monster. "I set this card and end my turn here."

"Draw," Shun said without missing a beat. He looked at his draw for only a moment before placing it on his Duel Disk. "I summon another Raid Raptors – Vanishing Lanius."

A facsimile of his first monster appeared, a perfect replica down to the red crest. (1300 ATK)

"Continuing, I activate the Continuous Spell, Raid Raptors – Nest."

A Spell Card appeared behind the two monsters, bearing the image of a nest containing an egg.

"With this, once per turn, if I control two or more Raid Raptors monsters, I can add another Raid Raptors from my Deck or Graveyard to my hand."

A card slid from his deck. He grabbed it and slid it toward his Monster Card Zone.

"You've already Normal Summoned once this turn." Masumi said this like it was the most obvious thing in the world. What was he doing? Didn't this guy know how to duel?

"On the turn Vanishing Lanius is summoned," said Shun, "I can Special Summon another Level 4 or lower Raid Raptors monster from my hand. Appear, Raid Raptors – Mimicry Lanius!"

A third monster swooped down. It had gold wings that were equipped with green disks shaped like drums. A cybernetic strip of blue snaked up its, stopping where a headset wrapped around the monster's skull. (1100 ATK)

The three birds beat their wings together, sending a powerful gale toward Masumi. She was taken aback by the force, stumbling and losing her balance and falling on her rear. She was slightly embarrassed, picking herself back up, but lurking beneath the embarrassment was a deeper layer of confusion. She was certain now that the monsters were operating independent of Real-Solid Vision – that gust was proof enough. But how was that possible?

"Just who are you?" she said, pushing against the ground. She knelt on one knee and stared at him.

Shun looked in Masumi's direction, but he seemed to be gazing past her. As if he hadn't noticed her at all, he said, "I have three Level 4 monsters on my field. Using Raid Raptors – Mimicry Lanius and my two Raid Raptors – Vanishing Lanius, I construct the overlay network!"

 _So it's Xyz, is it?_ Masumi thought, back on her feet. This wasn't a problem; she had defeated Hokuto four times yesterday, just as Yaiba had said earlier. This much she could handle.

The three birds devolved into dark blips of light, twisting together in the air. They met at the portal forming on the ground.

"Obscured falcon, raise your sharpened talons in front of adversity, spread your wings of rebellion! Xyz Summon!"

The monster's dark blue wings spread out like an X. Ten burners apiece were attached to the upper wings while the lower wings had three. All twenty-six sparked to life, igniting with a formidable blue flame. The monster's claws became unleashed, revealing razor-sharp talons. Lightning crackled around the monster's body. Its eyes, all six of them, glowed red. The creature spun around once, revealing the blood red crest on its back. Three orbs circled it. (100 ATK)

"Appear! Rank 4, Raid Raptors – Rise Falcon!"

Another fierce gust of wind whipped around them, blowing back Masumi's hair. She covered her face and waited for the wind to die down. When it finally did, she noticed. "100 ATK?"

"This monster can attack every opposing Special Summoned once," Shun said.

"You plan to attack with that monster?" Masumi asked. Once more, she had the urge to question Shun's dueling proficiency. He had seemed confident enough when he challenged her, intrepid and sure of himself, but here he was making misplays again.

Shun looked to Gem-Knight Tourmaline, then Gem-Knight Topaz, and finally Masumi herself. "I activate Rise Falcon's monster effect."

Rise Falcon craned its head up, chomping one of the three rotating orbs.

"Once per turn, by detaching one Overlay Unit, Rise Falcon permanently gains the ATK of one Special Summoned monster on my opponent's field. I choose Gem-Knight Topaz."

Rise Falcon spread its wings, and suddenly they were aflame. The bird soared in the orange sky, blazing like a phoenix. (100 – 1900 ATK)

"Battle Phase! Go, Raid Raptors – Rise Falcon! Rend and tear all our enemies! Brave Claw Revolution!"

Rise Falcon flew up even higher, eclipsing the sun with its brilliant glow. She squinted in the sunlight, watching the bird stall in the air, perched at a lofty height. Then it descended, quick as a torpedo. Its wingspan doubled, sending embers to the ground below. Masumi blinked and missed it. When next she opened her eyes, Tourmaline and Topaz exploded, leaving only molten gemstones in their place. She screamed as the impact threw her body back like a ragdoll.

 **(Masumi: 3600 LP/Shun: 2700 LP)**

Shun's gaze ran up and down the fallen girl's body with the clinical appraisal of a psychiatrist. He felt an elusive sense of righteousness flow through him. This, Masumi's suffering and hurt, was the pain that Ruri had endured yesterday – he was merely repaying the favor.

He said, "At this moment, I activate the effect of the detached Mimicry Lanius."

The Monster Card slid from his Graveyard and he stashed it in his pants pocket.

"By banishing this card on the turn it's sent to the Graveyard, I can add one Raid Raptors card from my deck to my hand." He flashed the card to Masumi, a Trap Card she didn't recognize.

"I place three cards facedown," Shun said, setting all three cards in his hand. "Turn end."

Though her arms and legs stung, Masumi picked herself up quickly. If there was one thing she wouldn't allow her opponents to see, it was weakness.

"My turn," she said, drawing her card. She winced when she pulled her arm back. "Draw!"

Like Shun, she wasted no time playing her draw. "I summon Crystal Rose!"

The gem-encrusted rose came into focus. (500 ATK)

"I activate its effect, sending the Gem-Knight Lazuli to the Graveyard, and transferring its name to Crystal Rose this turn."

Masumi found the card in her deck, and as she tossed it, she said, "Next, Gem-Knight Lazuli, when sent to the Graveyard by a card effect, lets me add a Normal Monster from my Graveyard to my hand. I select Gem-Knight Tourmaline."

Gem-Knight Tourmaline popped out of her Duel Disk. A moment later, so did Gem-Knight Obsidian and Gem-Knight Fusion.

"By banishing a Gem-Knight monster, I can add Gem-Knight Fusion back to my hand. And I'll activate it once more to fuse Gem-Knight Tourmaline and the Crystal Rose acting as Gem-Knight Lazuli!"

The monsters ascended.

She chanted: "Gem tinged with lightning. Green stones that hide mysterious power. In a whirlpool of light, combine to bring forth a dazzling radiance! Fusion Summon, Gem-Knight Prismaura!"

Gem-Knight Prismaura stepped forward, its silvery armor catching the sunlight. It raised its lance and aimed it at Shun's monster. (2450 ATK)

"As expected."

The sound of Shun's voice was so abrupt, so unexpected, Masumi was briefly thrown for a loop. She flinched, though she didn't quite know why. "What was that?"

"This is the same strategy as before. God, you're utterly predictable. I don't sense any strength or resolve in you."

Masumi narrowed her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Your dueling is exactly like the rest of the LDS, flimsy and pathetic. Not one of you has the kind of duel that can slake my thirst."

"You…" Why was she standing here listening to this man belittle her school – and worse, her? She reached for Prismaura's card.

"You fight with the same uninspired style as the rest of them. You're all the same. That was your biggest mistake just now, playing the same way against me as you did against Ruri yesterday."

Masumi paused mid-motion, raised an eyebrow. Had she heard him right? "Ruri?"

"Don't screw with me!" Shun shouted, an outburst he must have been holding in for some time. "You know exactly who I'm talking about. It was only yesterday that you dueled against her. Now, tell me where she is!"

That was all Masumi needed to hear to determine that the duel was pointless. This guy was obviously confused, looking for someone else. This was all a big misunderstanding, a mistake. It made no sense to continue the duel. She wasn't afraid of losing; she just hated wasting her time.

And yet, despite knowing this, there was a vague, ineffable feeling welling inside her – pride, arrogance, curiosity? – that prevented her from stopping the duel. She wouldn't surrender; that was beneath her. If nothing else, though, the duel presented a change of pace, a chance to defeat someone that wasn't Hokuto or Yaiba or one of her other, weaker LDS schoolmates. This guy, this Kurosaki, was already more of a challenge.

"Tell me!" Shun was still shouting.

"I don't know who you're talking about," Masumi said. "I've never met anyone named Ruri, let alone dueled against them."

"Playing dumb until the end. Give me a break." Shun bared his gritted teeth, sharp as fangs. "In that case, let me ask you after I've won!"

"Hmph, that's big talk coming from someone who's still behind."

Two cards slid from Masumi's Graveyard again – Gem-Knight Fusion and Gem-Knight Lazuli.

"I banish Lazuli to return Gem-Knight Fusion to my hand."

No sooner had she placed Gem-Knight Fusion with the other cards in her hand than she discarded it.

"And I activate Gem-Knight Prismaura's monster effect, discarding Gem-Knight Fusion to destroy Raid Raptors – Rise Falcon!"

A stream of pink lightning shot from Prismaura's lance, heading for Rise Falcon's heart.

"That's why I said you're predictable," Shun said, steps ahead of Masumi. "Counter Trap, activate! Raid Raptors – Desperate!"

His leftmost facedown card rose, the card he had searched for with Mimicry Lanius's effect.

"While I control a Raid Raptors monster, this card negates a destruction effect, and I'm able to draw one card."

Prismaura's strike disappeared halfway to Rise Falcon.

Shun made a draw.

Masumi frowned. Digging into her Graveyard, she retrieved two more cards. "I activate the other effect of Crystal Rose. By banishing my Fusion Monster, Gem-Knight Topaz, it can revive!"

She pocketed Gem-Knight Topaz before placing Crystal Rose on her Duel Disk. (500 DEF)

"If I can't destroy it by through a card effect, I'll do it by battle. Gem-Knight Prismaura, attack Rise Falcon!"

This time her monster opted for a physical attack. It dashed ahead, lance raised high above its head. It brought the weapon down, but something intercepted it: A blue bird with cogs for claws.

"From my hand," Shun said, revealing the card he drew from his Counter Trap, "I activate the effect of Raid Raptors – Booster Strix!"

Shun's new monster, Booster Strix, ballooned, its blue body expanding larger and larger, threatening self-destruction.

"By banishing Booster Strix from my hand when a Raid Raptors monster is attacked, I can destroy the attacking monster. Disappear, Gem-Knight Prismaura!"

Masumi grinned, glad to have the upper hand again. "I won't let you. Trap, activate! Pyroxene Fusion!"

With a vacuum-like suction, Pyroxene Fusion sucked Prismaura and Crystal Rose into its card.

"With this Trap Card, I can fuse using monsters on my field. Prismaura, Crystal Rose, fuse!"

As Masumi selected her Fusion Monster, Booster Strix burst, taking its own life.

Shun wasn't surprised to see Masumi's choice, Gem-Knight Zirconia, its bulky fists eagerly raised, yet another monster that Masumi had used the previous day. This girl really was one-note, capable of only one linear way of dueling. Fighting her was tedious, a complete waste of his time. Zirconia stalked forward, threatening Shun with its size. (2900 ATK)

Masumi threw a hand forward. "Because it's still my Battle Phase, I can attack your Rise Falcon again. Do it, Gem-Knight Zirconia!"

Gem-Knight Zirconia, even from Masumi's field, was able to reach Shun's monster. Its massive arms sailed ahead at full speed, smashing into the bird's beak.

"Continuous Trap, activate!" came Shun's response. The rightmost facedown card lifted. "Overlay Breast Armor! If an Xyz Monster would be destroyed by battle, I can detach an Overlay Unit to prevent the destruction."

Rise Falcon's second Overlay Unit burst into granules of light that showered it. It screeched in agony but withstood the attack.

"But you still take damage," Masumi reminded him, sullenly.

Once more, Shun remained inert as his Life Points dropped.

 **(Masumi: 3600 LP/Shun: 1700 LP)**

Masumi hated to admit it, but Shun was better than she had initially given him credit for. He'd read her strategy perfectly and countered every move she made. He really had made everything seem predicted, bland. She took a deep, reassuring breath, plucking a card from her hand.

"I set this card facedown and end my turn."

Shun was quiet for a moment. He stared up at the sky, at the sun, which was now beginning to sink into the horizon. There was something he found inexplicably serene about this place, Maiami City, something almost beautiful. Though after Heartland, he supposed almost anyplace would be beautiful. Anything would be better than the darkness he left behind in Heartland City.

He closed his eyes and imagined his sister's face, eyes kind and smile wide. When he opened his eyes and stared at Masumi, there was a darkness in his gaze that unnerved her. It was almost palpable, the hatred and malice imbued in his look.

"My turn," he said. "Draw!"

He looked at the card. Then he motioned to Rise Falcon. "I detach the remaining Overlay Unit from Rise Falcon to activate its effect, targeting Gem-Knight Zirconia and adding its ATK to Rise Falcon's!"

Rise Falcon devoured the last Overlay Unit and prepared to siphon Zirconia's power. It soared high, grazing the skyline.

Masumi clicked a button on her Duel Disk. "Trap, activate. Gem-Enhancement!"

A sparkling gateway materialized underneath Gem-Knight Zirconia, dragging it under. A few seconds later, the monster resurfaced, like a magic trick. (2900 ATK)

"Gem-Enhancement lets me sacrifice a Gem-Knight on my field to Special Summon one from my Graveyard," she said, flipping another strand of hair behind her ear. "Of course, because the sacrifice precedes the summon, I can choose to Special Summon the very monster I offered. Furthermore, since I Tributed Gem-Knight Zirconia at the moment Rise Falcon's effect triggered, the original target was lost. In other words, Rise Falcon's ATK won't increase."

She stared at Shun, watching his silhouette expand on the ground under the dying sunlight. "You understand now, don't you?" she said. "You've wasted your final Overlay Unit. Now you can't protect your monster with your Continuous Trap."

She had him right where she wanted him. His Trap Card was nullified, and he couldn't use the effect of Raid Raptors – Nest without first Normal Summoning another monster, which would undoubtedly be weaker than Gem-Knight Zirconia. In the end, everything had worked in her favor. He was trapped.

And it was then, just as this thought crossed her mind, that he did something she could never have anticipated.

"Raid Raptors – Rise Falcon, attack Gem-Knight Zirconia! Brave Claw Revolution!"

Masumi's eyes widened. "What? Your monster has 1000 less ATK."

This did not deter Rise Falcon. It took the sky, once more spreading its glorious wings. An inferno, so hot that Masumi could feel it from where she stood, coated the monster, dyeing it in the darkest red she had ever seen. It dropped down, a proud, feathered meteorite.

Zirconia opened its palm, catching the wriggling bird. It squeezed, shredding Rise Falcon's wings. They fell to the ground in a smoldering blaze. The bird cawed wildly, each cry getting shriller as Zirconia's vice grip tightened. The bird, defeated, exploded under the pressure.

 **(Masumi: 3600 LP/Shun: 700 LP)**

"Why?" Masumi said, because it was all she could think to say. Had he given up? She couldn't imagine so. Shun's moves made no sense to her, and yet they all seemed to be precisely calculated. She felt something creep into her stomach that made her knees weak, a faint sense of something unpleasant: panic. A realization came to her, its clarity shiny as a new toy: She feared his unpredictability, feared that she might not be able to tame it.

Shun's voice hacked through her racing thoughts like a machete:

"Quick-Play Magic, activate! Rank-Up-Magic Raptor's Force!"

A dark purple portal, emblazoned in the center with the Raid Raptors crest, appeared on the ground, turning in a slow semicircle. A pillar of light tore through the marking, and in the afterglow Masumi could see Rise Falcon hovering above the portal. (100 ATK)

"Rank-Up-Magic?" she echoed, testing the sound of the words on her tongue. She hated them.

"Rank-Up-Magic Raptor's Force," Shun said. "It can only be used on the turn a Raid Raptors Xyz Monster is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard. With it, I Special Summon the destroyed Rise Falcon, then Special Summon, from my Extra Deck, a Raid Raptors Xyz Monster that is one Rank higher!"

Rise Falcon was balled into an orb of light. It shot into the air, vanishing behind a passing cloud.

"Ferocious falcon, break through this fierce battle and spread your wings! Destroy our gathering foes!"

The sky became dark red, the color of blood and war. The monster gradually came into vision – wings first, mechanized and strapped with sleek burners; claws second, distended and jagged as nails; and finally its body, diamond shaped, covered in dormant missiles, and bearing the same crest as its predecessors. A single Overlay Unit looped horizontally around its body. (1000 ATK)

"Rank-Up Xyz Change! Appear! Rank 5, Raid Raptors – Blaze Falcon!"

"Rank-Up Xyz Change?" Masumi blinked in disbelief, her mouth slack. It was true that she had seen some variation of Rank-Up Xyz Monsters before – had even fought against them when dueling Hokuto – but none that were ever summoned using a specialized Spell Card.

Moreover, they didn't even teach Rank-Up summoning in the Xyz Course. Masumi knew for a fact that Hokuto had had to learn the method on his own. So how could _this_ guy possibly know a rare technique like that? "Where are you from?" she asked. "What school do you go to? Who are you?"

Shun said, glancing at his monster, "The revived Rise Falcon is attached to Blaze Falcon as an Overlay Unit."

Masumi clicked the roof of her mouth with her tongue. She still had questions that needed answering. She sighed, knowing she would have to play his game. "Fine, then," she said. "I'll throw your earlier words back at you: Let me ask you my questions after I've won."

Shun paused. His felt his blood boiling, his anger waiting to be unleashed. _Ruri, wait for me._

"It's still my Battle Phase," he said.

"That doesn't make much of a difference, Rank-Up or not. Gem-Knight Zirconia still has a higher attacking power than your monster."

"Blaze Falcon, while it has an Overlay Unit attached, can attack the enemy directly. Go! Raptor's Break of Thunderclap!"

Three of the missiles shot from the bird's body, each one firing a green laser beam at Masumi. She skirted around the first two, jumping out of harm's way at the last possible second, but the third blast speared the ground in front of her, causing it to shatter and scatter. Loose pavement shot up, clipping her leg and stomach, and she dropped on her back with a yelp.

 **(Masumi: 2600 LP/Shun: 700 LP)**

Shun continued without a care in the world. "Blaze Falcon's effect: When it inflicts damage to the enemy, I can destroy one monster they control. Be gone, Gem-Knight Zirconia!"

Blaze Falcon unleashed its arsenal, spreading its wings and sending a barrage of missiles at the Fusion Monster. With each hit, different fragments of the monster fell to the ground in chunks – shoulders, hands, legs, feet, chest, head, until it was a steaming pile of rubble.

"I end my turn like this."

Masumi forced herself to fight through the pain, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from crying out. She stood up again, slower this time, and took a moment to assess the situation. Shun was the only one with a monster, but even so, it only had 1000 ATK.

She noted the only card in her hand, a Trap Card that she wished she'd set earlier. As it was, she was now stuck relying on a good draw. Whether or not she could win depended on this one card. She grabbed her top card, wanting desperately to close her eyes, to avoid looking, to skip the dread of a bad draw, but she forced herself to turn the card around the moment she picked it up.

"It's my turn," she said. "I Draw!"

She looked. She smiled. This card would be enough alone – more than enough, really – but for what Shun had put her through, it wouldn't be enough to satisfy her. Simply winning the duel wasn't fulfilling if she didn't give him a good taste of his own medicine. For now, she would go all-out. She would stoop to his level.

"Continuous Spell, Brilliant Fusion, activate!"

She slid the card into her Duel Disk, turning to face Shun.

"When activated, this card lets me Fusion Summon a Gem-Knight monster."

Shun, who was beyond tired of hearing the word "Fusion" bandied about so casually, scowled. He heard the rancor lacing his tone but made no attempt to quell it: "Your hand is at zero. There's nothing more you can do."

"Wrong," said Masumi. "With Brilliant Fusion, the Fusion Material monsters I use come from my deck. As such, I fuse Gem-Knights Alexandrite, Garnet, and Emerald!"

The cards themselves appeared on the field, a Normal Monster sandwiched between two Effect Monsters, shining warriors in gem-ensconced suits of armor.

Masumi looked straight ahead, directly into Shun's yellow eyes. "You said you saw me duel yesterday, didn't you?"

To her surprise, Shun replied, "Yes. I'm certain it was you that I saw dueling at LDS."

"That's why you said my dueling was predictable, right? Because you saw my usual strategy."

The Extra Deck receptacle on her Duel Disk slid open.

"However, I never summoned my true ace monster yesterday. I'll let you have a taste of it now!"

The Gem-Knights came together as Masumi chanted: "Gem with facets of noon and night. Crimson truth. Brilliant emerald of good fortune. Combine to bring forth a new dazzling radiance in a whirlpool of light!"

The monster was nearly four times Shun's height, sparkling from head to toe. She wore armor stuffed with diamonds in the kneecaps and breastplate. A similar tiara of diamonds sat on her head. A billowing red cape fell to the middle of her back. She delivered a war cry, slashing the air with her broadsword, mere practice swings. She struck a pose on Masumi's field. (3400 – 0 ATK)

"Fusion Summon! Dazzling maiden! Level 10, Gem-Knight Lady Brilliant Diamond!"

As expected, Shun's scowl was impenetrable, perennial. He didn't so much as blink. She wondered what she had to do to get a reaction out of him.

"The monster summoned by Brilliant Fusion has its ATK and DEF reduced to 0." Masumi nodded to her monster. "But, by sending one Spell Card to my Graveyard, I can return its ATK to normal until my next turn."

As two cards popped out of her Duel Disk, she said, "Thus, I banish Gem-Knight Emerald from my Graveyard to return Gem-Knight Fusion to my hand, and discard it for Brilliant Fusion!"

Masumi did just that, and Lady Brilliant Diamond lifted her sword. (0 – 3400 ATK)

This wasn't enough, either. She desired even more – _needed_ it. She felt the overwhelming necessity to protect her title as LDS' ace Fusion user, especially against this man, who was so quick to disparage her school and her dueling.

"I activate the effect of the Crystal Rose in my Graveyard, banishing Gem-Knight Zirconia to revive it."

Crystal Rose appeared for the third time. (500 ATK)

"And I use Crystal Rose's effect to send Gem-Knight Crystal from my deck to my Graveyard, to gain its name."

The phantasmal form of Gem-Knight Crystal stood behind Crystal Rose.

Masumi's arm shot above her head like an eager student prepared to answer a question. "Now, I activate Gem-Knight Lady Brilliant Diamond's effect!"

Lady Brilliant Diamond held her hands in front of her chest, one on either side of her jeweled breastplate. The jewels glowed before popping out, one by one, floating in a crooked triangle.

"By sending the Crystal Rose treated as a Gem-Knight to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon a Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck, ignoring the summoning conditions. Come forth, the supreme radiance that illuminates all that exists! Gem-Knight Master Diamond!"

Lady Brilliant Diamond's three crystals orbited Crystal Rose, causing its red petals to glow a shimmering white. The petals fell one by one, arranging themselves in a neat circle in the air. The burst of rainbow light filled the middle of the circle, and Gem-Knight Master Diamond stepped through, its bejeweled sword tinging with color. (2900 – 3400 ATK)

"Master Diamond gains 100 ATK for each Gem monster in my Graveyard," she said, though she suspected he already knew that. "And, once per turn, I can banish a Gem-Knight Fusion Monster in my Graveyard to have Master Diamond gain that monster's effects until the End Phase. I banish Gem-Knight Prismaura."

The final Fusion Monster in her Graveyard ejected from her Duel Disk. One of the stones on Master Diamond's sword darkened. (3400 – 3300 ATK)

"Next, I banish Gem-Knight Garnet to return Gem-Knight Fusion to my hand," she said, and another sword-stone dimmed. (3300 – 3200 ATK)

"Using the borrowed effect of Gem-Knight Prismaura, Master Diamond can destroy one face-up card by discarding Gem-Knight Fusion. Even if you kept your monster's Overlay Unit safe, Overlay Breast Armor won't protect Blaze Falcon card effects. Go, Master Diamond!"

She discarded Gem-Knight Fusion. The three stones shining on Master Diamond's sword swathed the blade in incandescent light. Master Diamond thrust the sword forward, sending a tri-colored beam at Blaze Falcon, cleaving the bird's wings and destroying it.

"You have no monsters left to protect you. Lady Brilliant Diamond, attack the player directly! Taste the power of the LDS Fusion Course you dared to mock!"

Lady Brilliant Diamond charged ahead, carrying the weight of sword and shadow under the evening sun.

Shun watched, face blank. In no hurry, he tapped a button, revealing his final facedown card.

"Counter Trap, Necro Raptors, activate. When an opponent's monster attacks directly, this card negates all battle damage from that attack."

A blizzard of birds flew from the Trap Card. Lady Brilliant Diamond sliced through hundreds of them but the flock proved ruthless, ready to sacrifice the whole lot to save their master.

Masumi shook her head. "That's not enough. I still have Gem-Knight Master Diamond."

Shun shot her a look, annoyed at having been interrupted. "Necro Raptors' additional effect: Because the attack damage was successfully negated, I can revive a Raid Raptors monster in my Graveyard. I call back Raid Raptors – Rise Falcon!"

As Lady Brilliant Diamond retreated, Rise Falcon reemerged. (2000 DEF)

"Tch." At Masumi's behest, Master Diamond, with a slick swing of its sword, sliced Rise Falcon in twain, once more rendering Shun without monsters.

She looked at the final card in her hand and said, "I set this card facedown and end my turn."

Masumi's facedown card formed at her feet, as the aura around Master Diamond died down.

"At this moment, Gem-Knight Master Diamond's effect ends and it loses Prismaura's effect."

A stillness entered the battlefield. The waves of the harbor splashed against the concrete behind Shun. Somewhere in the distance came the horn of a tugboat. Overhead, a crow cawed and soared past Masumi, headed for the city. From where he stood with his back to the sun, Shun's face was half masked in shadow.

"As I thought," he said. "You're just like the rest of those bastards."

The crow cawed again, nearly drowning out Masumi's question: "What?"

"You and the rest of LDS." He didn't take his eyes off her. "And Academia…"

"Academia?"

"You use Fusion just as your comrades all did in Heartland, without a regard for anyone. It's all a game to you, isn't it, watching us getting beaten and battered and knocked down, knowing that we're unable to defend ourselves?"

Masumi said nothing.

Shun looked at the ground. "We were just specks of dirt to you, no better than cockroaches. We were something that had to be exterminated. For that reason, you came in a time of peace and turned Heartland into a battlefield.

"You didn't think we would – no, _could_ – rise up and protect ourselves."

When he brought his head up, his eyes were hollow, lifeless.

"But that's exactly what we've done, we who would no longer stand to be treated like pests, like we weren't even human, we who were tired of suffering, tired of hurting, we of the Resistance. We've banded together and turned the tables, my comrades and I!"

Shun reached into his trench coat, revealing a stack of cards. From where she stood twenty feet away, Masumi knew what they were: Fusion Monsters. She knew because she recognized the last card in the row.

"The Last Warrior from Another Planet?" she said, her voice but a whisper. "That's…that's Professor Marco's card."

Her heartbeat raced, threatening to shoot from her chest. Her feet felt cemented to the ground, leaden and ungainly. Her mouth ran dry, and she had to lick her lips just to get the agonizing words out. She imagined her favorite professor in her mind, his perfect smile, the way his wavy brown hair fell past his eyes. The sun made her skin dry and prickly.

"Why do you have Professor Marco's card? Answer me!"

"These cards are the proof of the Resistance's strength, our tenacity – proof that we won't be your victims anymore!"

"What did you do to Professor Marco?" She felt nauseous now, forced to face a reality worse than any nightmare she could have conjured. Her head spun. Her vision blurred at the edges. She asked again.

"What you've been doing to us."

With a deft flick of his wrist, Shun pitched the cards forward, releasing his grip. They sailed through the air and landed in odd places, at odd angles. Like a personal affront to Masumi, one card, Professor Marco's, landed in front of her. She didn't dare bend down to pick it up.

Shun said, "Well, that doesn't matter anymore. You'll be joining Marco soon enough." He said, like a portent, "You and the rest of Academia."

Masumi took two steps back. She hadn't known her heart could beat any faster, until now. What had she gotten herself into?

Shun's voice filled her ears, his hostility sickening her. "My turn! Draw!"

Even so, she willed herself to look at things rationally. She had her two strongest Fusion Monsters on the field, almost quadruple his Life Points, and aside from Shun's two Continuous Cards, he had only his draw. She had the incontestable advantage.

So why couldn't she stop the fear from lodging in her heart?

Shun looked at the card. Jamming it in his Duel Disk, he said, "Spell Card, activate! Rank-Up-Magic Soul Shave Force!"

"Another Rank-Up?" Masumi was surprised she had managed to speak with the tightness clenching her throat.

"To activate this card, I must pay half my Life Points," he said, and a golden glow cloaked him.

 **(Masumi: 2600 LP/Shun: 350 LP)**

"Then, I Special Summon a Raid Raptors monster from my Graveyard and use it for the Xyz Summon of a monster that is two Ranks higher! Return once more, Raid Raptors – Rise Falcon!"

Rise Falcon came in a burst of light. (100 ATK)

"And overlay!"

Rise Falcon sank into the swirling opening on the pavement.

"Prideful falcon, spread those wings coated with the surging blood of heroes and charge upon the road of revolution! Rank-Up Xyz Change!"

Fire sprouted from the portal, flames in every direction. Hidden behind the blazing wall was the silhouette of a monster. Slowly, it crept forward. Its wings were black as deep space, spread like a crucifix. Round gold orbs stippled the monster's body. Maroon lines stretched in the slant of sideways W's beneath the beak. One Overlay Unit – Rise Falcon – whirled around its wings like an omen. (2000 ATK)

"Xyz Summon! Appear! Rank 6, Raid Raptors – Revolution Falcon!"

Masumi looked from Revolution Falcon to the Fusion Monster on the ground. Professor Marco's Fusion Monster. Like a forgotten combination, something suddenly clicked for her. She remembered the news segment she'd seen a few days before, one in which a warehouse had been maliciously attacked. Reporters had displayed a Fusion Monster left at the scene of the attack.

She turned to her right. Sure enough, the nearest warehouse garage door was dented, scratched in by marks that matched Rise Falcon's claws. How hadn't she noticed that before? How could she have been so oblivious? Shun had lured her back to the scene of the crime.

"You attacked those people," she said, finally understanding. She didn't care about the duel anymore; she just wanted the confirmation, the knowledge of what happened to her teacher. She felt something inside her break when she forced her to say, "You attacked Professor Marco."

He blinked once, his only acknowledgement of her words. "When it has a Raid Raptors monster attached as an Overlay Unit, Revolution Falcon can, once per turn, destroy an opposing monster and deal damage to the enemy equal to half that monster's ATK. I destroy Gem-Knight Lady Brilliant Diamond! Burn and scatter in the flames of revolution!"

Revolution Falcon was skyward in seconds. Its chest plates opened, revealing a depository of bombs. The monster flew forward, situating itself above Masumi's field. The bombs dropped together, twenty at once, perfect in their synchronicity. Lady Brilliant Diamond screamed as the bombs took away everything – the ground, her sword, her body, her life. Everything was razed under the power of Shun's monster.

Masumi was still thinking about Professor Marco when the last bomb cracked the ground in front of her and exploded. She landed on her face, hard, scattering pebbles where she fell.

 **(Masumi: 900 LP/Shun: 350 LP)**

When she looked up, she realized with a start that she could no longer see Marco's card. Her head spun frantically from side to side. It wasn't until half a minute after the impact of the attack that she grasped why she hadn't found it before.

There, smoldering near the vandalized warehouse door, lay the smoldering half of Marco's Fusion Monster. The other half, the upper half, was nowhere to be found, expunged from existence by the strength of Revolution Falcon's bomb.

The fear morphed in her body, converted to fury. Professor Marco had been gone for a week, and she and her classmates had been told he was on vacation. But now she knew. Deep down, she felt she had known the whole time that something bad had happened to him, but she wished for it not to be true, wished for him to be safe somewhere and ready to teach on the following day.

Now she knew better.

Shun had taken her teacher from her.

Even worse, if Marco was truly gone, Shun had just destroyed the only remaining proof of him.

She tasted the bile building in the back of her throat. With an unappeasable anger, she turned to Shun, the hatred in her gaze matching his.

She said, cold as ice, "I activate Brilliant Spark, targeting Gem-Knight Lady Brilliant Diamond."

Her Trap Card turned over. Its image depicted a pure crystal being broken by three bolts of lightning.

"When a Gem-Knight monster is destroyed by an opponent, Brilliant Spark inflicts damage equal to the targeted monster's ATK."

She put her hand to her heart, clutching at her shirt fabric. She would avenge Marco. This much, at least, she could do. Maybe, she thought hopefully, if she beat him, she might even get Marco back.

She caught herself saying, "It's over! Take Lady Brilliant Diamond's 3400 ATK as damage! Feel the strike of the sacred dueling that Professor Marco taught me!"

Shun's eyes widened.

Masumi's Trap Card sparked to life, glowing until the pink borders became pure white.

"Go, Brilliant Spark!" she shouted, and the blast was unleashed, untamed, unstoppable.

The blast struck the target, setting free a haze of smoke and ash. Masumi breathed deeply, holding her chest. She allowed herself a small smile, her reward for victory.

"Were you watching me, Professor Marco?" she said under her breath. She looked up, searching for a sign of acknowledgement in the clouds. "Did I exceed your expectations?"

On Shun's field the smoke began to clear. In the dying haze, she saw Shun standing tall, his Life Points untouched.

 **(Masumi: 900 LP/Shun: 350 LP)**

"How?" She couldn't keep her voice from cracking. "How did you survive that?"

Then she noticed the card he was holding, the very first one sent to his Graveyard.

"By banishing Raid Raptors – Readiness from my Graveyard, I negate all damage I take this turn." He placed the card with Booster Strix in his pocket. "Your Brilliant Spark is meaningless to me."

"No way…" She made a quick scan of the field, reassuring herself. She still had Master Diamond on her field, and Shun had made the mistake of summoning a weaker monster in Attack Position.

Shun's eyes hardened with grit, the look of a combat veteran. "Go, Revolution Falcon! Attack Gem-Knight Master Diamond!"

"What?" Masumi took another step back. "Master Diamond's ATK is higher."

"Naïve. When battling a Special Summoned monster, Revolution Falcon makes that monster's ATK 0!"

Jet streams of fire tumbled from the Xyz Monster's wings, turning the harbor into a conflagration of ruin and despair. Master Diamond's body crumpled, its armor liquefying under the heat. (3300 – 0 ATK)

"Carry on the will of the broken and eradicate all of our enemies. Revolutionary Air Raid!"

This time the monster's back plates, where it kept its reserve of bombs, opened, and another set of twenty dropped. The bombs all dropped together in a ring. Master Diamond had no choice but to look up and face its own demise. The space in between ring became more and more compact as the bombs came closer, constricting until they created one unified atomic bomb.

Masumi shielded her face just as the mass detonated and let loose a shockwave bigger than any she had ever experienced with Real-Solid Vision. Cuts and scrapes ran down her legs. It felt as though someone had thrown a brick at her stomach. She couldn't even scream; the air had been knocked from her lungs. She'd lost complete control of her body, could feel nothing, though she knew that she was airborne now. That much she could see. Shun's body appeared smaller the farther back she flew. Finally the movement stopped altogether, and her back cracked when colliding with solid concrete. Her Duel Disk smacked the ground, sending all her cards flying in every direction, a cardboard typhoon.

 **(Masumi: 0 LP/Shun: 350 LP)**

Shun stepped past the fluster, his eyes glued to his feet. He wobbled through the maze of Masumi's cards, careful not to step on any. He harbored little respect for Fusion Monsters, even less for their users, but he knew better than to tamper with the evidence. That's exactly what the cards were to him: evidence, proof that he had been here, that he had claimed yet another victim. Evidence was exactly what it had been before with his other targets, too. He knew well the bargaining power of proof, its undeniable clout in upper levels.

Yes, it was only a matter of time now before his true prey came to him. And when Akaba Reiji did, he would be waiting.

Shun stood beside her now, his toes pointed at her stomach. He looked down on her fallen body. She resembled a wounded dog, her body curled up and crumpled at once, her legs faintly twitching. A veil of disheveled black hair fell past her face, concealing her eyes. Her lips moved slowly, miming soft syllables, uttering pleas he couldn't hear and didn't care to listen to.

There were things he would never admit, not even to himself: that Ruri had been taken from him, perhaps forever; that the Resistance's crusade against Academia, whose reserve of duelists seemed endless, was perhaps a hopeless endeavor; that he had been a terrible friend by dragging Yuto into his personal business.

He would never admit it, but Masumi had been a challenge, more so than the other duelists he had faced in this dimension at least. He'd lied earlier; he had felt a flicker of resolve in her, a passion to fight for her beliefs. If nothing else, it was admirable.

But that didn't matter to him.

He tapped a few buttons on his Duel Disk, going through the motions. He knew the keys by heart now, which buttons to tap, how long to wait, a process he never thought he would master when he first carded someone back in Heartland. It had been so different then, the thought of sealing another person's life inside a card. Back then, he couldn't fathom being responsible for someone not coming home, for taking someone away from their family. Even after he'd seen Academia do it countless times, picking off his friends like hunters shooting surrounded animals, eradicating the city's population one by one – even then, it had taken everything in Shun to press those buttons.

This he would admit: He enjoyed it. Not immediately, not the first few times, not the first twenty. But somewhere along the line, at a juncture invisible even to him, he found something satisfying about the act, something thrilling. He couldn't wait to click the keys on his Duel Disk, tapping the screen the moment his opponent's Life Points were wiped out. He would watch the purple glow light up his Duel Disk, smiling perversely as his enemies begged for clemency. He felt a burning power, potent as an elixir, course through him. Once, he even caught himself laugh as a card slipped from his Duel Disk like an old Polaroid picture.

He clicked the final button now and his Duel Disk hummed. A purple glow, bright as a flashlight, tinted Masumi's clothes. The humming grew louder. He watched impassively, like a bystander observing from the outside.

Just as it was impossible to locate when his enjoyment began, Shun likewise couldn't pinpoint when the fun stopped. Along the way, his victories became hollow and predictable, the duels rote and joyless. Defeating Academia's soldiers became a chore, the tedium of the act mind-numbing in its repetition. Somewhere along the way, he lost his smile.

He watched the purple light grow brighter. It looked sickly in the sunset light.

His finger hovered over the key that read "Complete Action" in bold lettering. His gaze slinked to her face. By nature he wasn't a believer in second chances, but he decided to make an exception.

"I'm only going to ask you one more time," he said, his voice bubbling with an undercurrent of malice. His free hand, the one at his side, was clenched into a fist. His eyebrows were drawn close to his cold gold eyes. "What did you do with Ruri, the girl you defeated yesterday? Where did you take her?"

Masumi's lips parted, but if there was any sound coming out, it was inaudible.

"Kurosaki Ruri?" Shun asked again, his voice louder, more desperate and demanding. He felt a passing, violent urge to kick the girl, but he restrained himself. He wasn't completely like Academia's soldiers – he hadn't completely lost his humanity. He knew better than to literally kick someone when they were down. "Where is she? Answer me!"

His shouting paused the world around them. The waves stopped crashing against the harbor. He couldn't hear the cars speeding by on the next street over. Maiami City fell silent, waiting for Masumi to answer. It was in this sudden silence that he finally heard what she had been whispering.

"Professor Marco, how? How could I, the top Fusion user at LDS, lose? How?" Her words grew softer as consciousness drained from her body.

Shun glowered at her. Her last moments of life and this is what she chose to spend them on? Stuck in her own arrogance, in the memory of her long-gone teacher? How vain, he thought, how pathetic. He imagined his patience as a tightrope snapping in two. His tolerance had reached its apex.

His finger hovered over the key. The sun sank behind a wall of clouds as Shun made his decision.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Right then, on the opposite side of the city, in the construction zone district, a large rift opened in the air and a man walked through. He had spiked hair and wore an unzipped jacket. His torso and arms, the latter of which were covered from the wrist up in bandages, were muscular, hardened from rigorous daily exercise. A burn scar ran over his left eye in the shape of a flame. The eye itself was covered by a black eyepatch. On his left wrist was a Duel Disk, on which he tapped a button.

He bent his head down and said into the Duel Disk, "Dimensional transfer complete," his baritone voice reverberating against the sleek steel pipes around him. The sky was turning purple, the color of bruises. It was getting cold out, but the man didn't feel a thing. He had lived all his life in the cold. "I have successfully made it to the Standard Dimension."

"Good" said the voice on the other end. "Then you understand your mission, Barrett."

"Yes," Barrett said. "I will bring Lady Serena back to Academia. And Hiragi Yuzu, too."

"Good," the voice said again. Barrett heard the sound of the Professor's fingers tapping against his throne. "And…" the voice said, prodding.

Barrett took a step forward, gauging his surroundings. From where he stood, he could see the diamond-shaped top of LDS, poking at the skyline. The wind howled in his ears, playing a blustery melody. "And I will bring Sakaki Yuya back to you," he said, and the transmission ended.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

OCG/Anime/Custom Cards Shown In This Chapter –

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 **Overlay Breast Armor (Trap)**

Continuous Trap

Image: Red protective coat of red armor surrounded by a ring of Overlay Units.

Effect: If a "Raid Raptors" Xyz Monster you control would be destroyed by battle, you can detach 1 Xyz Material from it instead.

Note: This card was first used by Shun Kurosaki in Episode 105 of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V." Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Raid Raptors – Desperate (Trap)**

Counter Trap

Image: A salvo of missiles coming toward Raid Raptors – Singing Lanius.

Effect: If a card is activated that would destroy a card(s) while you control a "Raid Raptors" monster: Negate that effect, and if you do, draw 1 card.

Note: This card was first used by Shun Kurosaki in Episode 82 of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V." Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

 **Necro Raptors (Trap)**

Counter Trap

Image: A flock of birds flying around a giant black hole.

Effect: If you would take battle damage from an opponent's monster's direct attack: Target 1 "Raid Raptors" monster in your Graveyard; make the battle damage you take from this battle 0, and if you do, Special Summon that target.

Note: This card first used by Shun Kurosaki in Episode 58 of "Yu-Gi-oh! Arc-V." Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

 **0-0-0-0-0**

Author's Note: After talk of Masumi's disappearance spreads around Maiami City, Yuzu decides to investigate the harbor where Masumi was last seen. However, once there, she encounters a surprise – the mysterious masked man that dueled against Sora. And later, when an enemy appears before Yuzu, the unlikely person who steps in to help her is…Find out next time!


End file.
